


I Met Frank Castle on a Sunday

by franksbestfriend22



Category: Daredevil (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Punisher (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M, Kidnapping, Shit gets blown up, Shower Sex, Slow Burn, Smut, dominant frank, first fic, frank does the shushing thing, frank is domestic, frank is like not as tortured, frank says sweetheart and ma'am a lot you're welcome, not really canon, there are a lot of tropes here folks, there are dogs involved, whoops, yeah daredevil is her cousin, yes there's smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-21
Updated: 2019-01-12
Packaged: 2019-09-24 03:28:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 27,848
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17093183
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/franksbestfriend22/pseuds/franksbestfriend22
Summary: Ella is a successful writer for Saturday Night Live who happens to work out at the same gym as Frank Castle. When they meet on a Sunday night, her world changes forever. Frank Castle is struggling with living a dual life as Pete Castiglione and has been avoiding attachment to anyone or anything good. But when his and Ella's paths converge, sparks fly and he can't ignore what he's feeling. Unfortunately, the Russians decide to head back down to the docks and mess up what could've been perfect. Will Frank give in to his Punisher instincts? Is he ready to love again? Can he have both?Set post Punisher season 1, not really canon compliant with anything about Daredevil except that the whole Defenders BS has gone down and Matt is back. Frank has done some serious healing at this point, so is not as tortured as in S1 of Punisher. This is my first fic, so I welcome feedback and also suck at summaries!





	1. Boxing

I met Frank Castle at 10 pm on a Sunday. I was at Gleason’s, getting in a workout after finally leaving the office at 8:30 after a particularly brutal table read. I’d been at it for about an hour, working my way rhythmically around the bag, ducking, slipping, snapping out punches in an effort to shake off the tension that always snuck into my shoulders by the end of the work day. 

When I heard the basement door open over the James Brown I always played when I boxed, I whipped around, unaccustomed to anyone else coming into the gym this late. 

“Hello?” I said, cautiously, steadying the creaking bag with one hand.

“Oh shit,” I heard a deep voice say and watched as a pair of beat up sneakers appeared on the second stair down. “Didn’t know anyone was down here, sorry.” 

“It’s okay!” I called back, pushing my hair out of my eyes with my forearm. “Come on down.”

The sneakers made their way down a few more steps and slowly a whole person emerged out of the gloom and holy shit, it was Frank Castle. He was wearing a hoodie zipped all the way up and his face was half-shadowed by the hood, but there was no mistaking that crooked nose and jawline. My breath caught slightly in my throat, but I quickly cleared my throat and turned to my phone.

“Sorry for the music, I’ll turn it off.” I laughed nervously and ripped at the Velcro on my right glove with my teeth to loosen it.

“Nah, keep it.” Frank said from behind me and I heard him drop his gym bag near where I knew mine was. I shrugged and turned around, suddenly very conscious of the fact that I was only wearing a sports bra and leggings. He was looking straight at me and to my surprise was smiling. 

“I like James Brown.” He explained. “Good music to move to, especially when boxing.” He nodded at my gloves.

“Yeah, I think so too.” I returned his grin and went to re-do the Velcro on my glove. 

“Hey, let me.” Frank stepped towards me and caught my wrist before my teeth could make contact with the glove. 

“Oh, thanks.” I said, slightly flustered at his proximity to me. He carefully wrapped the Velcro snugly around my wrist and pressed down on it to secure it. 

“There ya go, sweetheart.” He said, giving me a knock on the glove. “Mind if I use the bench over there then get a turn on the bag?”

“Yeah, no worries. I’m almost done.” I said a little breathlessly, still feeling where he’d touched my wrist. 

“Cool.” He flashed me another smile and I turned back to the bag, shaking my head a little to clear it. In a minute, I was back in the zone and threw punches for another ten minutes before deciding I was through.

I stepped back, pushing my hair off my forehead again and made my way over to where I’d put my water bottle. I ripped off my right glove with my teeth then worked the left one off and shook out my hands, which were throbbing. 

“You’ve got good form.” Frank said suddenly and I turned around. He was standing in front of the bag, in a faded MARINES t-shirt and basketball shorts, wrapping his hands. 

“Thanks.” I said, turning down the music a few notches and starting to unwrap mine. “I’ve only been boxing for about a year, but I love it.”

“Yeah? How come?” Frank asked, and I felt that he was genuinely interested.

“I don’t know, it makes me feel powerful, I guess.” I said, meeting his eyes. “Like nobody can fuck with me.”

He barked out a laugh and shook his head. “Girl, I just met you a few minutes ago and I can tell that anyone who tries to fuck with you is gonna get their ass beat.” 

I laughed out loud, a real laugh, and threw my sweaty wraps to the side. “Yeah, I like to think so.” I stepped forward once I saw that he was done wrapping his hands and extended my right one. “I’m Ella by the way.”

“Ella.” He repeated, shaking my hand. “I’m Pete.” 

“Right, it’s Pete now.” I said without thinking then clapped a hand over my mouth. 

“Ah.” Frank said quietly. “Should’ve known that I couldn’t pull the wool over your eyes.” He was smiling though, so any fear I had of offending him disappeared. 

“I mean, it’s hard not to recognize you, especially now that you don’t have the whole hipster thing going on,” I said, gesturing to his lack of beard and once again closely-cropped hair. He threw his head back and groaned.

“Why the fuck does everyone think I look like a goddamn hipster when I have a beard?” He complained, scrubbing his hand over his face. 

“God, sorry, calm down drama queen!” I laughed. “I actually prefer the military style, seems more…. genuine, I guess.” 

He fixed me with an intense stare. 

“Interesting.” Was all he commented before turning to grab his gloves. I picked up my water bottle and took a long drink, pouring some over my head as well.

“Help me out?” He asked after he’d put his left one on, holding out the right in my direction. I put down the towel I’d picked up to wipe off my face and walked over, grabbing the glove and holding it upside down so he could slide his hand in. I bent over his wrist to adjust the Velcro and was surprised to see a deep cut on his inner wrist.

“Whoa,” I said, looking up at him, slightly blurry through the drops of water beaded on my eyelashes.

“Yeah.” He grunted. “Can’t seem to sew it up so that it’ll stay since I’m stitching with my left hand.”

“Uh, you could go to a doctor, you know.” I said, standing up straight.

“Nah, waste of time.” He grinned cheekily. 

“Or I could do it, I guess.” I suggested timidly.

“You know how to stitch someone up?” 

“You sound surprised.” 

“Should I not be?” Frank was laughing at this point and I rolled my eyes. 

“Come on, I’ve got stuff in the office. No way I’m letting you box with that all open and shit.” I grabbed my towel and started walking towards the tiny office in the back corner, running the towel over my face and chest to catch the sweat lying there. I felt, rather than heard Frank’s presence behind me and I paused right outside the door and turned to face him. 

“Gotta warn you, my dog’s in there and she’ll probably go nuts when she sees you.” I said, reaching for the handle. True to my word, the second the door was open an inch, Lola was worming her way through the opening and leaping up onto me. 

“Hey, down girl!” I snapped my fingers and pointed at the floor and she immediately sat, but her whole body continued to wiggle with excitement.

“Damn, you’ve got her trained good.” Frank said, stepping into the office behind me and closing the door. 

“Yeah, I rescued her from a trashcan when she was just a few weeks old, so I’ve had a ton of time to turn her into the model dog.” I laughed from where I was hunting through the ancient desk a few feet away. “Gotcha!” I held up the First Aid kit in triumph. “Sit down over there.” 

Frank stopped scratching Lola’s ears and plopped down in the chair I had pointed to and obligingly laid out his right arm. I pulled over a stool and sat down on it, reaching for his hand. 

“Gotta undo the wrap first.” I said quietly and for a minute the only sound was James Brown’s muffled voice through the office walls as I carefully peeled back the layers of fabric. “Alright, let’s have a look.”

The cut was about six inches long and fairly deep, but was already starting to heal, which was a good sign. 

“I’ve seen worse.” I said drily. “I think you’ll live.”

“Wow, thank you for your diagnosis Doctor Ella.” Frank chuckled. I looked up from examining the wound and inhaled when I realized how close our faces were. I unconsciously licked my lips and watched as his eyes traveled down to watch the path my tongue took. I cleared my throat and sat back, blinking and trying to ignore the pace my heart had picked up. 

“Looks like it just needs a few stitches.” I muttered, hunting through the kit balanced on my lap for a needle, thread, and alcohol pads. “Hold this.” When I found what I was looking for, I shoved the kit at Frank and he placed it on the thigh that was not occupied by Lola’s head. “Kiss ass.” I directed at her, laughing at the way she was staring up at Frank adoringly and nudging his hand in an effort to receive more ear scratches. 

“So are you gonna tell me how you got this cut?” I asked, holding the needle up to the light so I could thread it. “Pete.” I added as an afterthought, grinning when I got the thread through on the first try.

“Just call me Frank.” Frank sighed, not answering the question. “I fuckin’ hate being called Pete and you called my bluff right away, so might as well go with it.”

“Cool,” I said, looking him in the eyes as I grabbed his wrist. “I’d tell you that this is gonna hurt, but you already know that. So stay still.”

“Yes ma’am,” he said, a wry smile at the corner of his mouth. I looked back down and took a deep breath, pinching the skin on either side of the wound together and dug the needle in. Frank inhaled sharply, but made no other sound. However, as I pulled the needle through, I felt one of his hands suddenly grip my ankle where it was dangling in front of the stool. I told myself not to look down and stayed focused on tying a neat knot to finish the first stitch. His hand remained there, so large that it wrapped entirely around my ankle, warm and solid though all five stitches. My playlist had finished and the music stopped right before I started stitching, so all I could hear was Frank’s steady breathing, my own shallow inhales, and Lola’s panting.

I finished the last stitch and blew out a full breath, dabbing the area with an alcohol pad. I pulled my head up from its hunched position and immediately, Frank’s grip loosened on my ankle. I rolled my shoulders back and admired my handiwork. 

“Not too shabby,” I announced, his fingers slipping entirely from my ankle as I smiled at him. 

“Looks good.” He nodded, opening and closing his hand. “Thanks sweetheart.” 

I shrugged, acting like it was every day that Frank Castle, notorious anti-hero of New York City, interrupted my workout and required stitches for a wound that was no doubt inflicted during some decidedly Punisher-type endeavors. I started packing up the First Aid Kit and hopped off the stool to throw away the garbage that had collected, Lola following me in the hopes that I had some kind of treat in my hands.

“Lola, off!” I said at the same time that Frank said, “Would you want to get a cup of coffee?”

“Sorry, what?” I said, shocked, turning to face him. 

“I uh,” he rubbed the back of his neck and bit his lip. “Would you want to go get a cup of coffee somewhere?”

I burst out laughing and saw his eyes immediately darken. 

“Frank! It’s 11 pm.” I pointed to the ancient clock on the wall. His eyes softened again and he grinned sheepishly. 

“It’s never too late for coffee?” He said hopefully. 

“It most definitely is too late for coffee.” I challenged, putting the First Aid kit back in the drawer. “I don’t know about you, Mr. Castle, but some of us have work in the morning.” 

“Where do you work?” Frank asked and I could tell he’d stepped closer. I straightened and pushed my hair out of my eyes.

“I work for NBC.” I said proudly. “I’m a writer for Saturday Night Live.” 

“Shit,” Frank said, sounding impressed and crossing his arms. “That’s pretty cool.”

“Yeah, I like to think so. Keeps me busy, anyway.” I said ruefully. “It’s a miracle if I’m out of the office by 9 pm. Tonight was an early one.” 

“Well, lucky me.” Frank said almost coyly, taking another step towards me. 

“How’s that?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

“If you hadn’t gotten off early, I wouldn’t have met you and I’d still be all tore up.” He said, that wry smile back. 

“Fair enough.” I said, walking past him to the door, Lola following me. 

“So no coffee?” Frank asked, matching my pace so he caught up to me back in the gym.

“Not tonight anyway.” I laughed, picking up my gym bag and zipping myself into my hoodie. “But here,” I said, holding out my hand. “Give me your phone and I’ll give you my number. In case you need stitching up again.”

Frank chuckled and pulled a battered iPhone out of his shorts and handed it to me. I quickly put myself in his contacts and gave it back.

“Medical emergencies only.” I said mock-sternly, clipping Lola’s leash onto her collar. “Enjoy your workout.” I shot him a smile and headed for the stairs.

When the basement door closed behind me and I stepped out of deserted main floor of the gym into the cold New York City air, I leaned back against a wall and blew out a deep breath. 

“Holy shit, Lola. We just met The Punisher. And he’s a total babe.” Lola licked my hand as if in agreement and we set off for home.


	2. Coffee

“Ella! I need that sketch finished in an hour or your ass is on the line!”

“Fuck off Dan!” I yelled at the man passing my office door, glasses halfway down my nose as I looked up from my laptop. A hand appeared back in the doorway, middle finger up, but I could hear Dan’s laughter on the other side of the wall. 

I groaned and pushed my chair away from my desk, throwing my glasses onto the desktop cluttered with loose documents, pens, pots of half-dead succulents, and empty Starbucks cups. I peered hopefully into the venti cup closest to me, but it was in fact, empty. I was just starting to gather my coat and scarf to make a run down to the nearby store when my phone buzzed.

Thinking it was one of the other writers calling to yell at me, I answered the phone with a gruff “What?!” only to be met with a chuckle.

“Damn, what’d I do?” 

“Frank?” I asked, taken aback by the voice on the other end.

“Hey sweetheart. How are you?”

“Not great, if I’m being honest.” I groaned. “I have a sketch due in an hour that I’m only halfway done with and I just realized I’m out of coffee.”

“What a happy coincidence,” Frank said. “I happen to be holding a very full cup of hot coffee at this moment with your name on it.”

“What?” I asked, nonplussed. 

“Look out your window.”

I dashed to the window behind me and clung to the sill, nose pressed to the glass. “Oh. My. God. Is that you?”

“It is indeed.” A miniature version of Frank waved from 15 stories down, phone tucked between his shoulder and his ear, his other hand holding a Starbucks cup. 

“I’ll be right down.” I hung up, flustered, and stood still for a minute, running my hand through my hair. “Whoa, shit, okay.” I yanked the random compact mirror that every girl has in their desk out of my drawer and examined my reflection. “Jesus Christ,” I groaned, taking in my disheveled appearance. “Whatever.” 

I bounded out the door, snatching up my scarf and whistling to Lola, who was in her customary place in her bed behind the door. She got up, leash in her mouth and padded after me to the elevator. As we traveled down, I put her leash on and attempted to smooth my hair in the mirror. My eyes were bright despite the smudged mascara underneath them and my heart was definitely racing. The elevator dinged and Lola and I stepped out into the lobby. I pushed open the heavy front door and Lola, catching sight of Frank, tried to take off towards him. I laughed and dropped her leash, letting her jump up on him.

“Whoa girl!” Frank said, lifting the cup of coffee out of harm’s way. “Settle down!” Lola, obedient as always, sat, but was frantically licking his jeans and boots. 

“Hey there.” I said, reclaiming her leash from the ground and smiling at him. “Uh, what are you doing here?”

“Thought you could use some caffeine.” He said, blushing a little and passing me the cup. “Is this weird?”

“No, no!” I said hastily. “It’s actually really…. Sweet.” 

“Sweet, huh?” Frank smiled. “Bet ya didn’t think you’d ever use those words to describe Frank Castle.”

“Oh, big bad man,” I scoffed and he laughed. I turned the cup and saw that he’d gotten my order exactly right: venti coffee with almond milk and two pumps of vanilla. “Okay, maybe it is a little weird that you know my order and I met you last night?”

“Ah.” Frank said. “That is actually not weird, I just happen to be quite resourceful.”

“As in you figured out that there’s a Starbucks literally around the corner that’s very well known to be popular with the SNL writers, so you went in there and asked what a small blond girl with a pitbull usually gets?”

“Bingo.” Now I was the one laughing. 

“That is actually very resourceful and as I said before, sweet.” I grinned at him and took a sip of the coffee. “Ahh, perfect.” 

“So uh, day not going so well?” Frank looked up at me from where he was crouching letting Lola lick his face. 

“Just super busy, as always.” I sighed dramatically. “But c’est la vie. This is the very small price to pay for somehow landing my dream job. I just feel bad for Lola, cooped up in my office all day.” As if she could understand me, Lola gave a pathetic whine and butted her head against Frank’s chin. 

“I could, uh, take her for a walk and to the dog park or somethin’, uh, if you wanted.” Frank was blushing again and my heart literally skipped a beat. Was he seriously nervous around me? 

“Wow, I mean that would be amazing, but I don’t want to interrupt your day.” I said, frowning a little. 

“No, you’re really not.” Frank said, standing up and gently taking Lola’s leash from my hands. “I swear getting your coffee was really the first and last thing on my to-do list for the day.” 

“Well, I know Lola would love it because she’s clearly obsessed with you. Traitor!” I said, pointing at her. She just smiled up at me, tongue flopping out of her mouth. 

“Nah, she loves everyone.” Frank said. 

“No, she really doesn’t.” I insisted. “She usually is super protective of me and hates guys, I’m pretty sure it was a guy who chucked her in a trash can when she was a puppy.” 

“Well, I’m honored then Miss Lola.” Frank gave a rumbling chuckle and Lola barked once. “Yeah, well, I’ll just take her to the dog park then and uh, give you a call when I’m back?”

“Oh, you can just go in and say you’re coming up to meet me.” I said. “Francisco at the front desk is a total softie and knows me quite well since I’m always coming in and out with Lola. That way I can repay you for the coffee with a donut or something from the snack room.”

“Snack room? Sounds tempting.” Frank smiled. “Alright, then uh, we’ll see you in a bit. Hope the writing goes better.”

“Thanks, Frank, really and thanks for the coffee. You’re a lifesaver.” I hesitated for a moment, then leaned in and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. Before I could see his reaction, I turned around and hustled back inside the warm lobby. 

I waved hello to Francisco and then once back in the elevator, let out a groan and slumped against the wall. Why, oh why did I do that? I’m sure he thinks I’m crazy now, some obsessed little fangirl who can’t keep it in her pants around The Punisher. 

“Fuck!” I said aloud, straightening my jacket and stepping out of the elevator doors when they opened. 

1 hour and 5 minutes later, the coffee was long gone and the sketch was finally done. I emailed it to Dan complete with a snarky message and some gifs that displayed my feelings about the audacity of managers holding me to my deadlines and closed my laptop with a satisfying snap. I checked my phone and saw that it was already 6 pm, which meant I should really start thinking about what to do for dinner. 

I messed around on Instagram for awhile instead, responding to some DMs from fans of the show and posting a cute picture of Lola from earlier in the day. Just as I had opened the Grubhub app and started to hunt down some food, there was a light tap on my door and I looked up to see Frank’s large frame taking up my entire doorway. 

“Hi!” I said, standing up and letting Lola hurl herself at my legs. “Did you guys have fun?”

“Yeah, it was great.” Frank said sincerely, standing a bit awkwardly with his hands in his pockets. He seemed too large for my tiny office and I suddenly realized how much bigger than me he was. It somehow wasn’t apparent at the gym or outside, but here in an office setting it was suddenly clear why people were scared of him. 

“She wasn’t too annoying?” I dug a treat for Lola out of my pocket and tossed it on her bed, where she happily snuffled after it, ate it, and flopped down. 

“Nah, she’s the best.” Frank laughed. “Tried to herd some little Yorkies at the park, but their owner didn’t mind.”

“Oh, good.” I suddenly remembered the kiss and started to feel incredibly awkward. There was a moment of silence.

“So, uh, do you want a donut --” I started at the exact same time Frank said, “What are you doing for dinner?”

We stared at each other and then started laughing. 

“Is this going to be our thing?” Frank asked, walking towards me and taking a seat on the corner of my desk.

“I hope not.”

“Yeah, me too.” I stared at him for another second before he decided to repeat his question, “So, dinner plans?”

“Oh yeah, well usually around this time is when one of my bosses will come in and demand that I attend some table read or meeting that I was previously unaware of, so I usually order something off my phone or have a Page go get me something.” I said, rolling my eyes. 

“Go out to dinner with me instead.” Frank blurted out, and then I saw him clench his fists by his sides.

“Really?”

“Does your usual alternative sound better?” He asked.

“No! I mean, yes, I’d love to.” I shook my head and bit my lip, not quite believing my luck. 

“Good. Let’s sneak you out of here then, yeah?” Frank stood up and seemed to shake his nervousness away with one heave of his broad shoulders. 

“Um, yeah, hang on, I’ve got to like, clean up and stuff…” I trailed off, waving a hand over the mess that was my desk. 

“I’ll get Lola ready to go and then we’ll make our escape.” Frank was already leaning down to re-attach Lola’s leash and straighten out the blankets she’d rumpled into a nest around her bed. 

I hastily shoved all the papers on my desk into a pile, pulling out the documents that I needed to take home and putting them in my bag along with my laptop. I picked up an empty cup and arced it across the room into the trash can and, entirely forgetting that Frank was in the room, called out my customary “Kobe!” 

Frank burst out laughing at my horrified expression when I realized what I’d done and I quickly relaxed. 

“Well, now that you’re aware I’m a three point maverick, are you too intimidated to take me out to dinner?” I teased, putting on my coat and grabbing my purse. 

“Oh definitely.” Frank said seriously, leading the way out the door with Lola in tow. I snapped off the lights and closed the door and we walked quickly down the (mercifully empty) hallway to the elevators. We made it downstairs without incident and when we were outside, I gave Frank a huge smile. 

“This is the earliest I’ve been out of the office in weeks!” I exclaimed, throwing my arms up and spinning in a circle. 

“Jesus girl, ever heard of work-life balance?” Frank put a hand on my lower back and gently guided me in the correct direction across the plaza. 

“Oh, you’re one to talk.” I retorted, knowing that I might have been treading on thin ice. Frank snorted, but didn’t seem to mind my not so subtle reference to his infamous nighttime activities. I wondered if he was still out there every night, but pushed the thought aside. 

“So where are we going?” I asked, breaking a few moments of companionable silence as we strolled along, Lola in the lead. Just then, I gave an enormous yawn that literally had me stopped in my tracks and filled my eyes with tears. 

“Well I was gonna suggest that we hit up this Italian place I know that allows dogs on the patio, but considering that yawn, maybe we should call it a night?” Frank sounded a little disappointed, I noted with glee. 

“No, no, I really want to do dinner —“ I interrupted myself with another yawn and suddenly felt the entire weight of the sleep-deprived weeks (ok months) I’d had descend on my shoulders. “Fuck.” I restarted my sentence and decided to throw caution to the wind. “I really want to do dinner, but you’re right I’m kind of beat. Is it super lame to suggest we get takeout and eat it at my place?” 

Frank’s face brightened and he gave me one of his slow grins. 

“To be perfectly honest ma’am, that sounds a damn sight better than going out to me.”

“Excellent.” I said, turning on my heel. “Then let’s catch the 6.”


	3. The First Night

“Godddd this is so good.” I moaned.

“I know.” Frank replied, slurping up a noodle that had halfway escaped from his fork. 

“I can’t believe they agreed to deliver despite the very strict no delivery policy stated on Yelp.” I said, setting down my fork and staring at Frank suspiciously. He chuckled. 

“The owner is an old friend. He owes me a few favors.” 

“Gotcha. Well I don’t care why they do it as long as they’ll keep bringing spaghetti this good to my door whenever I want it.” I announced, biting into a piece of garlic bread. “Hey, stop that!”

Frank looked up guiltily - he’d been sneaking Lola a piece of meatball under the table. 

“I can’t resist her, ma’am.” He said, sitting back up. 

“Well you’re gonna have to try.” I pushed back from the table and grabbed the half empty bottle of red and on the counter. “Want some more?”

Frank nodded and I refilled his glass. When he’d first arrived in my little one bedroom apartment, he’d seemed nervous, standing in the corner with his hands in his pockets as I hustled around turning on lights and cranking up the radiator. Now, however, his boots were off and he was leaning back in his chair, his lips stained a little from the wine. 

I personally was feeling as lazy as a cat with two glasses of wine and a plate of spaghetti in my stomach, the heat from the apartment folded around me like a sweater. I stretched and noted that Frank’s eyes traveled to the strip of my stomach that was exposed when I raised my arms over my head. I blushed and pulled my sweater down, getting up with a groan. 

“And where do you think you’re going sweetheart?” Frank asked in a tone that sent a little shiver down my spine. 

“Dishes!” I said, gesturing at the plates and utensils littering the table. 

“Nah, I don’t think so.” Frank said, getting up slowly and starting to gather them. “I got it.”

“You’re my guest!” I protested feebly, but I was already dropping back into my chair, and Frank smirked. 

“That’s what I thought.” 

I watched as he moved through my kitchen like he’d been there a hundred times before, washing dishes and stacking them in the drying rack, sneaking a few bits of food to Lola, wiping down the counters and finally turning to face me, dish towel over his shoulder. I grinned. 

“Wanna watch a movie?”

Frank nodded and moved towards my couch, chuckling when Lola immediately jumped into his lap when he sat down. I flicked off the kitchen light and joined him setting both of our wine glasses down on the table and was suddenly grateful for the size of my couch because it allowed our shoulders to brush. I leaned forward to pick up the remote and immediately cued up “Hateful Eight.” I turned my head to see Frank’s reaction and saw that he approved. 

“Big Tarantino fan?” He asked. 

“Yes.” I said without further explanation, picking up my wine and settling back into the couch. 

As these things usually go, we ended up talking through the entire movie. I did most of the talking and he asked questions, which I expected and as the wine loosened my tongue even more, was happy to oblige. 

“So we had this cat - no wait, a dog, wait, a rabbit,” I dissolved into laughter and Frank looked up. 

“Oh god, our first date and I’ve already got you drunk.”

“So this is a date?” I said, sitting up and fixing him with a challenging look with my eyes narrowed. Frank stared right back. 

“Is that okay with you, ma’am?”

“More than okay.” I said, satisfied. I pivoted my body so my back was leaning against the armrest of the couch and before I knew what was happening, Frank had carefully picked up my legs and put them across his lap. I tried not to show my surprise and instead rested my head on the back of the couch and allowed my eyes to drift closed. 

When I woke up, I was covered in a blanket and there was something hot and heavy across my stomach. I opened my eyes slowly and became aware that I was lying across the couch with Frank curled up behind me, his arm around me. 

I shifted slightly and he was immediately awake, yanking his arm back as if my body was white-hot. 

“Hey, hey, it’s okay.” I said softly, still not facing him. I gave him a minute until I felt him relax again and then I slowly wiggled around until I was facing him, our noses practically touching.

“Hi.” I said sleepily.

“Hi.” Frank choked out. His eyes were so soft, his lips still slightly red. I raised my hand and slowly traced his eyebrows, down his nose, and hovered my index finger above his mouth. 

“Is this okay?” I asked.

“More than okay.” He whispered and I smiled. He leaned in and rested his forehead against mine, arm snaking back around my waist. I fell back into a deep, dreamless sleep and when I woke up, he was gone.


	4. Bullets

The rest of the week passed in much of the same way. Frank would be waiting outside with coffee sometime in the late afternoon, take Lola on a run or to the dog park, and when he came back, we’d start making our way to a restaurant, but inevitably end up back at my apartment, order takeout, talk for hours, and fall asleep on the couch. Frank never stayed over and I never asked him to, never tried to push anything physically. It was his presence I enjoyed, just the solid warmth of him and his “ma’am”s and “sweetheart”s that he seemed to reserve just for me. Though he let me talk the majority of the time, he slowly began telling me more about his current life. We never touched on anything from his past and I could tell that this was a calculated effort on his part. On Wednesday we went back to the gym and even sparred for a while. By Thursday, I felt like I’d known him for months.

I got so used to this routine so quickly that it was a shock when on Friday, he never called about my coffee. Lola and I waited in my office until long after I usually left on Friday’s and my apartment felt too big for just the two of us when we got home. Lola seemed sad too, nosing around the apartment and curling up with a sock that Frank had somehow left behind on Wednesday. 

I had several invitations from friends to go out, but I begged exhaustion and promised I’d meet up with them later in the weekend. Instead, I ordered Thai food and watched The Office until I finally went to sleep in my bed, rather than on the couch. 

I was woken abruptly by something smashing in my apartment and I sat bolt upright, scrambling for the .22 I kept in my bedside drawer. Lola was barking like crazy at my bedroom door, scratching at the handle and trying to get out. 

“Who the fuck is there?” I yelled, swinging my legs out of bed and pushing Lola back with a sharp “stay.” I closed the door to my bedroom and started advancing towards the kitchen, heart pounding. When no one answered, I clicked off the safety and crept into the kitchen, the gun held before me. 

“Holy shit.” I clicked the safety back on and let the gun fall, dashing over to where the one and only Frank Castle was bleeding on my kitchen floor, having thrown himself through my window. 

“Frank, Frank, Frank, can you hear me? Come on, Frank.” I bent down and shook his shoulder, cupping his cheek in my hand and turning his head toward me. 

“Ma’am.” He said weakly, coughing and spitting out something that sounded suspiciously like a tooth when it clattered to the floor. 

“Frank what the fuck happened?” I was hysterical, pressing my hands over his body trying to find the source of the hot fountain of red oozing out of him. 

“Shot. Left side.” Frank hissed, letting his head drop onto my thigh. 

“No, no, come on baby you gotta stay awake.” I let the pet name pass without meaning to and shoved Frank’s shoulder. “Come on we gotta stop the bleeding.” 

I sat back on my heels and counted out ten deep breaths, running my hands over Frank’s head in my lap. “Okay, okay. I’m going to go get my first aid shit you stay here and you DO NOT DIE ON ME FRANK CASTLE. You got that?”

Frank muttered a weak “yes ma’am” and I got up, sprinting to my bathroom where I opened my cabinets and started yanking out anything remotely resembling medical supplies. Lola was still barking and whimpering in my room, but I called “Lola, quiet, it’s all okay” and she immediately stopped. I loaded my arms up with clean towels and dashed back into the kitchen. Frank has managed to roll onto his right side and shrug out of his coat and I snatched the scissors from my counter. 

“Okay, Frank.” I took another deep breath. “I’m gonna cut your shirt off okay?” 

“Mhm.” Frank mumbled, turning his head to fix me with one half-shut eye. “It’s not deep, you gotta get it out.”

“Okay, okay.” I said hysterically. “I’ll get it out. Hold still.” I dug my shears into the material of his shirt and peeled back the fabric, biting back a sob when I saw the mess that was his left side. Scraped raw with bruises already forming, then there was the bullet hole, which was leaking more and more blood with every beat of Frank’s heart. 

“Tell me what to do Frank, I’ve never done this before.” I said, trying to steady my voice. Frank took a deep breath and when he spoke, I was encouraged to hear his voice was stronger. 

“Pour rubbing alcohol all over the area and get your tweezers disinfected.”

For the next twenty minutes, Frank coached me through extracting the bullet from his side, which made a satisfying clink as it dropped into the glass I’d put out for that purpose. Frank’s voice never faltered until the bullet was out and I told him I could handle the stitches and general bandaging on my own, at which point he let his head drop to the floor. I was sitting with my legs splayed, and once again I felt his hand wrap around my ankle as I dug the needle into his skin. 

When I was finished stitching, I gently touched Frank’s face and asked if he wanted to take a bath since he was coated in dried blood and what appeared to be mud and gravel. He opened his eyes and started to sit up, saying “No ma’am you’ve done enough. I shouldn’t even be here. I’m gonna go.”

“What are you talking about?” I hissed, raising my hand to his chin and forcing him to look at me. “You can’t leave, you can’t even stand!” 

“I shouldn’t be here. I’m putting you in danger.” Frank winced, pulling his face out of my grip. 

“Oh shut up.” I said decisively, memories of Matt giving me the same speech flooding me. “You know, all you vigilantes are the same, always talking about how you’re putting the people around you in danger, but guess what? I knew what I was potentially getting into when I gave you my number at the gym, so I don’t want to hear that bullshit. Quite frankly, all I’d like to hear is the sound of your body getting into my bath so I can get all this blood off my goddamn floor!”

There was a moment of silence and I was worried for a split second that I’d pushed too far, but Frank smiled and shook his head. 

“Yes ma’am.” 

“Good.” I said, wiping my nose with the back of my hand. “Now how in the hell are we going to get you to the bathroom?” 

“Just get on my left side and support me there.” Frank said, already starting to push himself up with the assistance of my kitchen counter. I ducked underneath his left arm and avoiding touching his side, let him wrap his arm around me and in a very slow, awkward hobble, we made it to the bathroom. Frank sat on the floor, leaning against the wall as I filled up the bathtub, and I could feel him watching me. 

“What?” I finally said, turning off the taps and getting up to help him take off his shoes. 

“When you said, ‘all you vigilantes are the same,’ it sounded like you’ve had some experience with uh, this sort of thing before.” Frank said, gesturing to himself. 

“Yeah, well, I wasn’t going to mention it, but your former lawyer, a one Matt Murdock, happens to be my cousin.” I said, crouching down and pulling off his left boot. 

“No shit, Red?” Frank said wonderingly. 

“Yep, the one and the same.” I said bitterly, removing his right boot and both his socks. Frank didn’t push any further, which I appreciated. “Pants?” I asked.

Frank blushed and started to undo the button on his black military pants and I had an opportunity to study his impressive torso. It was hard to ignore the muscles that rippled just beneath the surface of his scarred skin and I had to compose myself as he started to awkwardly shimmy his pants down his legs. 

I sighed and once he’d maneuvered the pants down to his knees, pulled them the rest of the way off. So. Here was Frank Castle, sitting banged up and bleeding in my bathroom in his skivvies. I bit back a smile at the absurdity of the situation. 

“Ready to get in?” I asked, not even bothering to ask about the boxers vs no boxers situation. 

“Yes ma’am.” Frank grunted and with my help, managed to stagger to the side of the tub and slowly eased himself in. The bullet wound was high enough up so that it didn’t enter the water, which was a blessing because I had no interest in revisiting the bandaging experience anytime soon. 

“Can I let Lola in?” I asked, just as another loud whine pierced the air from my bedroom. 

“Shit yeah,” Frank breathed a sigh of relief, letting his head rest back against the tile of my bathroom wall.

I got up and let Lola out of the bedroom. She immediately went to the kitchen and investigated the scene, but Frank whistled low from the bathroom and she sprinted in there. When I got back after pouring myself a stiff drink, I found her standing up with her front paws on the rim of the tub, licking Frank’s face. 

“Oh, gross, I hope you got the mud off of your face before you let my dog lick it!” I shrieked. Frank laughed and winced. 

“I did, I did, I promise.”

I looked down into the filthy bath water and assumed it was true. 

I told Lola to lie down and took a sip of my drink and when I caught Frank staring at the glass, offered it to him. He smiled and downed half the contents in one go.

“Well then, maybe I should get you your own!” I said, gazing ruefully into the nearly empty glass. Frank shook his head and when I stood up to go into the kitchen, caught the edge of my t-shirt and said, “will you stay, just for a minute?”

My heart melted and I perched myself on the edge of the tub, my fingers absentmindedly going to run through his hair.

“I’ll stay as long as you want.”

Frank closed his eyes and his breathing evened out. I watched the blood and filth slowly leach away from his skin and finished my drink. I let him be for about fifteen minutes then picked up a washcloth and started running fresh water so I could wipe off his shoulders and face. I let the washcloth run down his neck and onto his chest and he rumbled his satisfaction, which made me shiver. I finished cleaning him off as best as I could and told him I’d give him some privacy to do whatever else he wanted and to pull the plug when he was done. 

I walked into the kitchen yawning furiously and groaned when I saw it was 4:30 am. Of course, I was intensely curious as to what Frank had been doing before he crashed through my window, but at the moment I could only summon enough brain power to throw away his ruined shirt, stuff his coat into a garbage bag, sweep up the shattered glass, and run some bleach wipes all over the floor where he’d been lying. The bloodstained towels, I stuffed into another garbage bag and chalked up to a loss. 

When everything was relatively clean, I walked back towards the bathroom and knocked tentatively on the half-shut door. 

“Can I come in?” 

“Mhm.” 

I pushed the door open and saw that Frank had managed to get out of the bath and wrap himself in one of my few remaining towels and was sitting on the rim of the tub. Lola was sitting next to him and when I walked in, they both looked up at me. 

“So, what’s the game plan here?” I asked.

“Hateful Eight?” Frank cracked a smile. 

“Why not.” I sighed. “It’s only 4:30 in the morning. Perfect time to watch a movie. Can we please just go to sleep?”

Frank stiffened slightly. 

“Yes, in my bed. Sleeping. Like normal people, not on the couch.” I continued, moving towards him and hovering my hand over his shoulder. To my surprise, he leaned into my touch. 

“Yes ma’am.” He whispered. 

“Great.” I said, moving over to his left side and ducking under his arm again. He smelled good, like my soap mixed with his own clean and sharp smell, something slightly metallic. He stood up, holding onto the towel, and I was shocked to see how he was already moving much easier, barely leaning on me at all. I steered him in the direction of my bedroom and Lola raced ahead of us and jumped up on the bed. I helped Frank sit down and swing his legs onto the bed, and then we both suddenly realized that he was naked under the towel. 

“Hang on,” I said. “I think I’ve got an old pair of boxers somewhere.” I couldn’t help but notice that Frank frowned very slightly when he heard this and my heart thudded once. I dug through my closet and emerged clutching a faded pair of grey Calvin’s. I went out into the kitchen one more time to give him some privacy and looked disparagingly at the gaping hole where my kitchen window glass used to be. “Shit.”

I turned off all the lights and went back into the bedroom, where Frank was already lying under the covers, Lola across his feet at the end of the bed. 

“Sorry ‘bout your window, sweetheart.” He said quietly, his eyes half-shut. I chuckled softly. 

“Definitely not the biggest concern of mine surrounding the events of this evening.” I shut off the overhead light and moved cautiously in the darkness to my side of the bed. I got under the comforter and immediately moved towards Frank’s warmth. He exhaled sharply as I carefully curled my body into the shape of his uninjured side and I felt his arm come around to rub my shoulder. 

“Hey,” he whispered, and I tilted my chin up to look at him. 

“Hi.” I whispered back, and then he kissed me. It was slow and lazy, his tongue tracing the line of my lower lip and his hand moving into my hair. I ran my hand over his chest, fingers exploring the dips and swells of his muscles and scars, feeling sparks explode in my brain as our mouths moved. When he pulled back, I moaned and he laughed softly. 

“Plenty of time for that, sweetheart. Right now you need to sleep.” He pressed his lips to my forehead and I obediently closed my eyes, letting exhaustion carry me down, down, down.


	5. Phone Call

When I woke up, just as usual, Frank was gone. However, I could hear him talking to Lola in the kitchen and smelled bacon, which made getting out of bed after just five hours of sleep a lot easier. I padded into the kitchen rubbing my eyes and sat down at the table, laying my head down on my arms. 

“Morning.” Frank’s voice said from above me and I raised my head. He was holding a plate of scrambled eggs and bacon and was oh God, shirtless. I literally licked my lips before I could stop myself and hastily said “wow, breakfast looks good.”

“Is that the only thing that looks good, darlin’?” Frank sounded amused and I refused to meet his eyes. 

“Yes.” I said defiantly, pulling the plate towards me. Frank laughed and lifted my chin with his knuckles. I slowly dragged my eyes up from where they were immediately drawn to where the borrowed boxers were riding low on his hips. He leaned down and kissed me gently, then replaced his lips with a piece of bacon. I bit into it and found it perfectly crunchy, just how I liked it.

“So.” Frank said, sitting down across from me and digging into his own plate of eggs (fried, I noted). 

“So.” I echoed. “Wanna tell me how you ended up busting through my window? Speaking of, why it is not absolutely freezing in here?” I looked over at the window and was shocked to see that there was a piece of cardboard solidly nailed over the empty frame. “When the hell did you do that and how the hell did I not wake up?”

Frank laughed. “You were out like a light. I’ll go get some glass today and replace it for real.” 

I nodded, knowing it was hopeless to try and argue. 

“As for how I ended up on your floor,” Frank said, putting down his fork and scratching his neck. “I got wind of some Russians down at the docks up to no good.”

“Up to no good as in…” 

“Loading up girls they’d kidnapped into cargo containers to send them to fuckin’ China.” Frank growled, gripping his knife extra tightly. 

“So naturally you went down there and saved them?” 

Frank looked down at his plate and I watched him swallow hard. 

“I tried.” He said bleakly, looking up at me. “I fuckin’ tried. Two of the fuckers got away.”

“But the girls are okay.” I said. “The girls are okay, Frank.”

“Okay is a very subjective word,” he growled. “They’ve been through God knows what, but yeah, I made sure Brett came and got ‘em.” 

“Brett Mahoney?” I asked.

“Yeah.” Frank looked surprised. “You know him too?”

“Family friends.” I shrugged and finished off my eggs. 

“Unreal,” Frank whispered, shaking his head, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. Lola nudged her head against my knee and I sighed. 

“Yes, girl, I know you want to go out, but just wait a little.” 

“Let’s take her on a walk.” Frank said immediately.

“Uh, Frank, you don’t have any clothes.” I said pointedly, gesturing to the garbage bag that contained his destroyed coat and filthy pants. 

“Well, shit,” Frank said mildly. “You’re right.” 

And that is how I got on the phone with Daredevil while in the presence of The Punisher.

“Ella?”

“Hey, Matt, how’s it going?” 

“I’m fine, are you okay?” I rolled my eyes at Matt’s immediate jump to assume the worst. 

“Yes, yes, I’m fine, I just have a favor to ask.” 

“What’s up?”

“Can I come over and borrow a pair of sweats and a t-shirt? You’re not allowed to ask what it’s for.”

“What’s it for?” 

“Jesus Christ, Matt!” Frank was laughing silently and I rolled my eyes at him. “If I tell you, will you promise not to freak out?”

“No.” Matt said and I appreciated the honesty for once. 

“Fine, fine, well then I’ll just tell you the goddamn truth and you can either decide to help me or not. I’ve got Frank Castle sitting in my kitchen and he needs some clothes to wear, okay?” 

There was silence on the other end for a full minute. 

“I’ll be right over.” 

“No, no Matt, I’ll come to your place please -- FUCK!” Matt had hung up. I buried my face in my hands.

“Well, that went about as well as I expected it to.” Frank said, putting all the dishes in the sink and running the water. 

“He’ll be here in like 3 minutes.” I groaned. “He literally lives around the corner.” 

“Then we’ve got 3 minutes to do this.” Before I could blink, Frank had pulled me out of my chair and was kissing me with an urgency I’d never felt before. His hands were cupping my face, buried in my hair, running up my back, everywhere at once. I moaned against his mouth and ran my fingers gingerly up and down his stomach, being careful not to touch the bandages I noticed he’d changed. Lola danced around our feet, barking in excited yips. 

“Frank.” I gasped when we came up for air.

“Yeah, sweetheart?” He whispered, running his thumb over my cheekbone. 

“We should probably talk about this.” I grimaced. 

“I know,” he said, stepping back a half step. I reached for him and pulled him back to me. 

“Don’t leave.” I whined. “We can talk while you’re still right here.” Frank laughed and I felt it vibrate through his whole body. Just then, the doorbell rang. 

“I would say put on some pants, but a, you don’t have any and b, Matt’s blind, so…” I shrugged and walked past Frank to the front door.


	6. Daredevil

“Ella, what the actual fuck are you thinking?”

“Well hello to you too, Matthew.” I said scathingly, moving aside so that Matt could enter my apartment. He reached out for the wall and traced its path out to the living room, where Frank was standing, arms crossed. I couldn’t help but notice that Matt was in fact carrying a pair of folded up sweats and a t-shirt, but decided not to mention it. Lola, used to Matt, gave him a gentle nudge in the back of the knees. 

“Frank.” Matt said in that particular quiet way of his.

“Red.” Frank grunted. 

“I can’t see, but I’m assuming that you’re naked, which is going to make this conversation a whole lot more fun.” Matt said, smiling slightly. 

“Yeah, you wish, buddy.” Frank snorted, rolling his shoulders back.

“Alright, settle down you morons.” I sighed. “Matt, do you want to sit down?”

“No.” Matt said. “By the way, here’s the clothes you asked for.” He extended the bundle in Frank’s direction, but I intercepted it and set it on the couch. “I brought them against my better judgement.”

“Well thank God for your ability to reserve your pious nature for exactly one fuckin’ second.” Frank growled and I rolled my eyes so hard I thought they might get stuck. 

“So, which of you wants to explain what’s going on here?” Matt asked, tilting his head first in my direction and then Frank’s. “You’ve been shot.” He directed at Frank. 

“We met at Gleason’s on Sunday, he brought me coffee the rest of the week and last night he came to me needing a bit of medical assistance.” I interjected before Frank could make a snarky comment. 

Matt tilted his head towards the window and I could tell he knew Frank hadn’t exactly come up and knocked on the front door. 

“Look, it really doesn’t matter what happened, thanks for bringing over the clothes and —“

“Was it the Russians?” Matt asked lowly, facing Frank head on. 

“You bet your skinny ass it was.” Frank shot a look at the clothes on the couch. “Might get those back all stretched out.”

“Shut up!” I cried, throwing up my hands. “Just….. be nice.”

Frank grunted and re-crossed his arms, but looked a little guilty. 

“Trafficking again?” Matt continued. 

“Yeah.” Frank sighed. “Seems like anytime I squash ‘em, a few of the roaches survive and start a new operation.” 

“I’ve been keeping an eye on them as well.” Matt said quietly, taking a wary step towards Frank. I decided it was best to remove myself from the situation and sat down on the couch with Lola. 

“Got any intel you’d like to share?” Frank asked in a pointedly courteous voice. 

“Maybe.” Matt cocked his head to the side and there was silence for a moment. “Why don’t we team up?” He said at last. 

“Team up?” Frank sounded shocked. 

“I mean, we’ve done it before if only in the most dire of circumstances.” 

“You mean when you’ve decided to stick your nose where it doesn’t belong and try to stop me from puttin’ em down.” Frank hissed. 

“A matter of perspective.” Matt said mildly. “But it appears we have both a common enemy and perhaps some people in common we’d like to keep safe,” he motioned to where I was peeking over the back of the couch. “So why not work together?”

Frank was breathing hard. “You— you —-“

“He’ll think about it.” I jumped up and put a hand on Matt’s arm. “Thanks again for the clothes, Matt. I’ll call you later.” I was gently steering him towards the door and he let me, but I knew the conversation was far from over. 

“Be careful, Ella.” Matt said in a low voice as I opened the front door. “Do you really know what he’s capable of?”

“Bye Matt.” I said firmly, closing the door behind him. 

I walked back into the living room and found Frank, already dressed in the sweats and t-shirt that Matt had brought, on the floor rubbing Lola’s belly. I noted with satisfaction that the t-shirt was indeed stretched tight across his frame and cleared my throat. 

“So, that was interesting.” I started, trying to keep my tone light. 

“Yeah, goddamn interesting.” Frank snorted. He stood up and started pacing the living room. I decided not to say anything and instead went into the kitchen to get a glass of orange juice. 

“I mean, he wants to team up?” Frank said incredulously, following me to the fridge. 

“Is it such a bad idea?” I asked cautiously, straightening up from where I was pulling the carton of juice out of the fridge. 

“With all due respect ma’am, it’s a terrible fuckin’ idea.” 

“Hmm.” I said, pouring juice into two glasses and handing one to Frank before returning the carton to the fridge. 

“Red and I have what some might call different philosophies when it comes to dealing with criminals.” I leaned against the counter and watched as Frank began tracing a path across the kitchen and back. “He thinks they should go to jail, where they can fuckin’ escape and get back out on the street. I think - “ he stopped pacing and looked dead at me. “I think they should fuckin’ die.” 

“Matt’s always been a little weird about ‘playing God.’” I said, making exaggerated air quotes. Frank barked out a laugh and resumed pacing, taking a sip of his juice. 

“Yeah, yeah, he is.” Eyes darting around the room, he exhaled sharply and dropped into the chair across from me. 

“If I may put my two cents in, having extremely limited knowledge of the situation or what it means to form an alliance with another vigilante,” I began.

“You think I should do it.” Frank said, looking at me. 

“Well, I just don’t see how it could hurt, especially given that you got shot last night…” I trailed off, not wanting to overstep. 

“Fair enough.” Frank nodded. “I just know that every time, every fuckin’ time, we’re gonna get into some kind of argument about whether I can shoot some lowlife in the head or not.”

I grimaced. “Maybe you could come up with some terms or something?”

“Terms!” Frank chuckled. “Now you sound like the lawyer.” 

I groaned. “Please don’t say that.” 

Frank leaned across the table and held my face in his hands, thumb coming to rub over my lower lip. “He is right that we want to protect the same things,” he said quietly. My breath caught in my throat and I blinked slowly. Frank sighed and released my face, slumping back in his chair. 

“This is probably not the best time to ask,” I said. “But should we talk about what’s going on with…. Us?” I cringed at the word.

Frank sighed again. “What’s going on with us, ma’am, is that you and your mutt here,” he gestured to Lola who had crept into the kitchen and had her head in his lap. “Have messed up my whole plan of lying low and never getting attached to anyone again.” 

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Well, that seems a bit dramatic.” 

“Yeah, maybe.” Frank’s gaze softened a bit as he stared at me. “But maybe not.” 

I stayed quiet, letting him think, enjoying the sound of his steady breathing. 

“Well now that I’m not in my tighty-whiteys should we take Lola on a walk? My apartment isn’t too far, I could uh, change into some real clothes.” Frank said, making it clear that the conversation was over for now. 

“You live around here?” I asked. 

“Live is a strong word. I inhabit a shitty studio about 20 minutes away.” Frank laughed darkly and rubbed his hand over the stubble forming on his chin. 

“Let’s go check it out.” I stood up and gave him a peck on the cheek as I walked past to my room. He growled and grabbed my waist, pulling me to him and burying his nose in my hair. 

“Or we could stay here.” I suggested weakly as he nosed down my neck to my collarbone. 

“What’s this?” He asked, pulling back and tracing the line of the scar that stretched from the base of my throat to the top of my left shoulder. 

“Broke my collarbone playing rugby in college.” I said, craning my neck to look down at the scar I was so used to, I always forgot about it. 

“Badass.” Frank said approvingly. 

“Didn’t feel so badass when they had to give me a second scar to put a bone graft in from my hip.” I grumbled, lifting the left hem of my t-shirt up to show him the puckered 6 inch long scar running along my hipbone. 

“Damn, girl,” Frank whistled and reached out to run one finger delicately down the scar. I shivered at his touch and looked up to see his eyes boring into mine, dark and full of something I could only describe as need. 

I swallowed hard and stepped back, not quite ready to go there. 

“Should we, uh, head to your place?” I ran a shaking hand through my hair and started to walk towards my bedroom to get dressed. 

“Yeah, I’ll get my shit together.” Frank called after me. 

Once in my bedroom, I sat on the edge of my bed and took deep, steadying breaths. Once my heart had stopped racing, I yanked on a pair of jeans and a sweater, scraping my hair back into a ponytail. I turned off the lights and walked to the front door, picking up one of my (many) pairs of Dr Martens that littered the hallway and pulling them on and then shrugging into my heavy coat. 

“Ready?” I asked Frank, putting my phone in my back pocket and grabbing my keys off the shelf. 

“Yep.” He had dug his coat back out of the trash bag and while it was disgusting, I couldn’t blame him considering the 30 degree temperature outside. His big black boots were neatly tied and he was holding Lola’s leash.

“Can we get some coffee on our way? The grounds you have look disgusting.”

“Hey!” I slapped his chest and he laughed. “My coffee taste is excellent.”

“Sweetheart, your most frequented coffee shop is Starbucks, so I know that isn’t true.”

I rolled my eyes and flounced out the front door, but I was grinning.


	7. Linzer Tarts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Smut in this one, folks.

“Frank, this place…. Is tragic.” I announced, spinning in a slow circle to take in the entirety of the miniscule apartment I was standing in. 

“Yeah, I know.” Frank said in a muffled voice from where he was deep in the tiny closet in the corner. 

“Do you even have a radiator?” I asked in disbelief, blowing out a breath to see the puff of white that formed in the frigid air. 

“Nah, that’s why it’s so cheap. No heat.” Frank sounded utterly unconcerned and I gaped at his back. 

“Are you insane?”

“Quite possibly.” He turned around, holding a duffel bag stuffed with clothes and threw it on the bed.

“And is that a twin bed?”

“Yes ma’am,” he said, gingerly pulling Matt’s t-shirt up and over his head. My cheeks immediately heated up at the sight of his naked torso, but I forced myself to stay focused. 

“Do you even fit on a twin bed?” I asked, noticing that the bandages on his side were completely clear of blood. Did he have super-healing powers or something? 

“Ella, a twin bed is three feet wide. I am not three feet wide.” Frank’s head popped out the top of the flannel he was pulling on and stared at me disapprovingly. Next to go were the sweats and I pointedly looked away as he changed into his own boxers and jeans.

“Alright, alright,” I muttered. “Lola, leave it!” Lola looked back at me from where she was intently snuffling at something in the corner.

“Ah, she’s probably found the mice nest.” Frank said casually. 

“MICE?!” I shrieked. “That is IT, you’re staying with me until you find another place to live.” 

“If I try to argue with you, are you gonna yell at me again?” Frank was trying so hard not to smile. 

“Yes.” I said defiantly, crossing my arms. 

“Then I’ll save that argument for another day.” Frank said simply, pulling on a heavy olive-green jacket and picking up the duffel bag. I tried to hide my surprise, but must have done a poor job. He closed the distance between us in one stride. “Truth is, I’d rather stay with you.” He whispered, threading his right fingers through mine. 

“And why is that?” I whispered back, trying to keep my voice from shaking. 

“Because I can do things like this whenever I want.” He leaned in and kissed me sweetly. I opened my mouth to him and he licked behind my teeth once, making me moan, before pulling back and kissing me on the nose. 

“Fair point, well made.” I gasped and he laughed, his eyes dancing. 

“Coffee?” He said, gesturing grandly to the splintering front door.

“Yes please.” I responded, whistling to Lola so that she followed us out into the hallway. We carefully navigated down the crumbling stairs and out into the blinding sun and cold. Just as Frank pointed to a coffee shop on the corner, my phone started buzzing in my pocket.

“Shit, sorry, work.” I said, pressing accept. Frank nodded and motioned for me to wait outside while he went in. 

“Hello?”

“Hey, E, it’s Jen.” My favorite coworker’s bubbly voice crackled through my speaker. 

“Hey, Jen, what’s up?” 

“Listen, I hate to do this, but could you come in tonight? I know you don’t work the night of the show, but we’ve got Post Malone on tonight and he’s being a total nightmare, demanding re-writes of his sketch.” I could practically hear Jen’s eye roll through the phone and laughed. 

“Yeah, that’s fine.” I checked the time quickly and pressed the phone back to my ear. “I can be there in like 2 hours?” 

“That would be fantastic. Drinks on me once we’re done dealing with his childish ass.” We both laughed and I said goodbye and hung up, shortening Lola’s leash as I walked into the coffee shop. 

Frank was at the counter, coffee already in both hands, laughing and talking with the older woman behind the counter. I sidled up to him and bumped him with my hip and he turned his head, smiling. 

“Hey sweetheart. Mae, this is my,” he paused for a second, “my friend Ella.”

“Hi, Mae!” I said brightly, holding out my hand. “Pleasure to meet you.”

The gray haired woman’s face lit up and she grabbed my hand with both of hers. 

“Hi lovey! It’s so nice to meet you, you know I was wondering when Frankie would meet a nice girl and look at you, just absolutely gorgeous,” I was blushing like a maniac and Frank was looking at the floor. 

“Aw, Hell Mae, lay off.” He grumbled, but he was smiling. Mae winked at me, then leaned over the counter and cooed, “Oh and who’s this cutie?”

“This is Lola,” I said proudly. “Lola say hi!” 

Lola raised her right paw and barked once. Mae clapped her hands in delight and produced a treat out of nowhere. 

“May I?” She asked, coming around from behind the counter. 

“Of course, she’ll love you forever.” I laughed and Lola gobbled down the treat and gave Mae’s outstretched hand a good lick. 

“Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I’ve got to go into work in a bit, so I need to get home and shower.” I said apologetically, tilting my head towards the door. 

“Oh, well before you go here, take these.” Mae bustled back behind the counter and held out a white paper bag. “Linzer Tarts, Frankie’s favorite.”

“No way!” I exclaimed before I could stop myself. “They’re my favorite too.” 

“Mae’s are the best in the city.” Frank said, putting down one of the coffees and pulling out a $20 from his pocket. 

“No, no, no, get that out of here. You just come on back soon and bring Miss Ella back too.” Mae flapped her hands and Frank pulled the bill back, but when she turned around, he quietly slid it into the otherwise empty tip jar. 

“So lovely to meet you, Mae.” I waved and stepped out. 

“Take care of yourself and I’ll back in a few days to fix that stove, alright?” I heard Frank say and then the door was tinkling shut and he was beside me on the sidewalk, taking a sip of his coffee, which I knew was black. 

“She’s so sweet!” I said, tapping my foot so Lola would sit and grabbing my own coffee. 

“Yeah, Mae, she’s, she’s a damn firecracker,” Frank laughed and shook his head. “Known her since I was a punk kid.” 

“Mm,” I hummed, handing him my cup so we could start walking. “Sorry to cut the visit short, but a coworker just called and they need me at the studio ASAP.”

“Duty calls.” Frank smirked. “Want me to take Lola to the park or something while you’re gone?”

“Unfortunately it’s gonna be more like a four hour teeth pulling session than a quick re-write,” I groaned.

“Oh, uh, should I head back to my place then?” Frank was gnawing on his lower lip. 

“No!” We halted for a red light and I turned to face him. “I was serious about you staying with me. I would say you could come with me, but tragically I don’t have the ‘clearance’ to make that call.” I attempted to make air quotes, but succeeded only in hitting myself in the head with the bag of pastries. Frank smiled and tossed his empty cup in the trash, handing me mine, which I downed in two gulps. 

“I know! Why don’t you fix my damn window?” I tossed my cup as well and then pursed my lips and stared at him. 

“Yes ma’am.” Frank winked at me and we crossed the street. For the rest of the walk home, he regaled me with stories of times Mae offered both solace and sternness during his teenage years and into his 20s, even mentioning the first time he brought Maria and then the kids to the bakery. His voice got a little rougher during those stories, but I was surprised to see that he stayed clear-eyed and even smiled. 

We climbed the stairs to my apartment and when I went to unlock the door, Frank pushed himself up on me from behind and kissed me behind the ear. 

“Frank,” I hissed, my keys almost slipping out of my hands. 

“You smell so damn good.” He growled in my ear. “All the time, when I leave it’s all over my clothes, I smell you in my sleep.” He mouthed at the skin under my jaw and I closed my eyes. 

“Okay, okay.” I said breathlessly. “I gotta open the door.”

Frank put his hand over mine and helped me guide the key into the lock. I marveled at how easily his hand engulfed mine and the second we were inside and Lola’s leash was out of my hands as she ran down the hall, Frank had both my wrists in one of his giant hands and pinned them against the wall. The bag of tarts dropped to the floor, forgotten. 

“Fuck,” I whispered as he used his other hand to unzip my coat enough to expose my collarbones and dipped his head down to taste my skin. His teeth nibbled at the thin skin at the base of my throat and I shuddered. He kissed his way up my neck to my mouth and covered his whole body with mine, releasing my hands so I could wrap my arms around his neck. One of his hands crept up my torso to wrap its way lightly around my throat and I moaned into the kiss. 

“Those fuckin noises you make.” Frank growled, pulling back and biting my ear. “Make a man weak.”

I ground my hips into him and he retaliated, picking up my left leg and winding it around his waist. 

“Frank, Frank, I need to shower and get ready,” I gasped, clutching desperately at the front of his shirt as he thrust his hips forward. 

“Mmm,” He hummed against my neck. “Guess we could continue this while you’re wet.” He pulled back and winked, releasing his grip on my thigh so that my leg fell back to Earth. Without another word, heart pounding, I kicked off my shoes and socks and started walking to the bathroom, hearing the thud of his boots landing in the hallway corner as well. 

I beat him to the bathroom and had managed to yank my sweater over my head before he was all over me again, hands exploring the newly exposed flesh of my stomach and chest. I fumbled with the button on my jeans, biting his shoulder as he undid the clasp on my bra. 

I pushed him back and breathed “take off your shirt,” as I reached behind him to turn on the water in the shower. 

He acquiesced and his jeans followed quickly. We stood in front of each other, each in our underwear and panting. 

“You first, sweetheart.” 

I took a deep breath and pulled my thong down, stepping out of it and resisting the urge to cover myself with my hands. Frank swore and devoured me with his eyes. 

“Your turn.” I whispered, steam starting to fill the room. Frank pulled his boxers off without hesitation and reached out for me. I stepped closer and let him run his hands up and down my body, inhaling sharply when his fingers ghosted over my clit. 

“Get in.” His voice was lower than I’d ever heard it and I stepped past him to get into the shower and he closed the door behind him as he followed me. He walked me back under the spray and I tilted my head back, letting the water soak my hair. Frank leaned down, cupping my breasts with both hands and licked the water droplets that were lying on them. I hissed and instinctively rolled my hips. He chuckled and stood up straight, reaching over my head for my shampoo. I stared at his body, finally seeing it all for the first time. He was truly as impressive as I’d hoped, thick ropey muscles beneath his skin shifting with every moment and when I dared to let my eyes drift downwards, I bit my lip. 

“Like what you see?” Frank laughed and I snapped my eyes up to his. He was pouring shampoo into his hands and motioned for me to turn around. I did and immediately his fingers were in my hair, massaging the suds through my tangled locks. I sighed and tilted my head back, letting my hands ghost up my own chest to my nipples. 

“Fuck, sweetheart.” Frank growled in my ear, pulling on my hair just enough that I gasped. He spun me around again and I rinsed the shampoo from my hair while he watched. 

“C’mere,” Frank said once I was done, gently backing me up against the wall, out of the spray. I reached for him and pulled his mouth to mine, biting his lower lip. He smiled against my lips and started kissing and licking his way down my neck, lowering himself onto his knees in front of me. I looked down at him through my eyelashes, my chest heaving. 

“Shh, shh, shh.” Frank leaned in and kissed my hipbone, tracing the scar with his tongue and I cried out. 

“Good girl,” Frank praised, gently pushing my legs apart with his right hand. Before I could blink, he had two fingers inside me and his thumb was rubbing circles on my clit. 

“Oh fuck, oh fuck.” I whimpered, my hands instinctively going into my hair and clutching at the wet strands. 

“Yeah, girl? That feel good?” Frank was grinning wickedly and shrugged my right leg up onto his shoulder, working me open with his fingers. 

“So fucking good Frank, don’t stop.” I said almost panicked. 

“Never.” Frank promised, sliding his fingers out of me. I gasped in protest, but he soon replaced them with his tongue and I cried out his name. He licked a flat stripe up my pussy and sucked on my clit, his fingers coming back to stroke my G-spot at a pace that made my eyes roll back into my head. I dropped a hand to his shoulder and let my nails bite into his flesh, which only seemed to spur him on as he sucked and fucked me with his fingers even faster. 

“Frank, I’m gonna...” The pressure coiling in my stomach was so intense I was shaking, grabbing onto him and the wall behind me for support as he worked me impossibly closer to the edge. 

“Come on sweetheart,” he said, removing his mouth from my clit and looking up at me with hooded eyes. “Come for me, Ella.”

It was hearing him say my name that did it - I fell apart with a scream, my eyes slamming shut and my pussy clamping down on his fingers as he continued to stroke my most sensitive parts. I saw white sparks flash behind my eyes and sobbed with release. When I finally came down, Frank was standing in front of me, kissing my face and neck whispering praise into my skin. I slumped against him, my face in his shoulder and just let him hold me. When I was mostly recovered, I realized I could feel him, hard and pressed into my stomach, and started to move my hand downwards.

“Uh-uh sweetheart, you gotta get ready for work.” Frank teased, grabbing my wrist. I whined and glared at him, trying to get my arm free, but it was like Goliath wrestling with a kitten. 

“Later.” Frank promised, kissing my eyebrows, eyelids, nose. I sighed and watched reluctantly as he got out of the shower before hastily conditioning my hair & washing my body. 

When I came out into the kitchen fully dressed, Frank was standing at the counter eating a Linzer Tart, Lola at his feet. He was wearing a pair of black sweatpants that hung low on his hips and no shirt. 

“That’s not fair.” I frowned. “You can’t not have sex with me and then wear that.” 

Frank laughed, powdered sugar on his lips. “I thought you had to go?”

“I do, I do.” I sighed, picking up my purse and keys. “Listen, I think we’ll be going out for drinks once the nightmare is over. I’ll text you where we end up?”

“Yeah, maybe.” Frank shifted from foot to foot. 

“Either way, I’ll see you later.” I gave him a kiss, licking the powdered sugar off his lips and then gave Lola a pat on the head and ran out the front door.


	8. Tequila Shots

“Well that was atrocious.” I collapsed into the booth that Jen and I had chosen all the way in the back corner of Josie’s. 

“You could say that again.” Jen put down her coat and purse and ran her hands through her bouncy curls. “What are we drinking?” She asked, flashing the corporate card we were permitted to use for “work outings.” 

“Tequila, please, just get me an IV of it.” I groaned, pulling my phone out of my purse and unlocking it.

“You got it.” Jen winked and headed towards the bar, turning heads as she walked, swinging her hips. 

I opened my texts and sent a message to Frank telling him we were at Josie’s. He responded instantly, but I frowned at his reply. 

“Don’t think it’s a good idea tonight. Sorry sweetheart. See you at home.” 

“Uuuuugh,” I ran my hands through my hair, frustrated, but not surprised. I guessed that he had his own set of rules about when and where he would go out, but I knew that literally nothing in the world could make me feel better right now than his presence. Well, maybe that and this tequila shot.

“Shiiiiit.” Jen exhaled sharply as we slammed our glasses down on the table. I felt the warm buzz start to seep into my veins right away and sighed happily. 

“Shit is right.” I said heartily. 

“Sooooo, how’s Matt?” Jen asked, leaning forward and putting her face in her hands. 

“Oh, Jesus, not this again.” I rolled my eyes and took a sip of one of the beers Jen had brought over with the shots.

“What? I guess I have a thing for hot, blind lawyers.” Jen shrugged. “And it just so happens that your long-lost cousin is a hot, blind lawyer.”

I laughed, thinking back to when Jen and Matt had first met. It was about a year ago when Matt and I first found each other through, of all things, Ancestry.com. My parents died when I was ten in a car accident and like Matt, I’d been put into the care of others. However, unlike Matt, I bounced around to foster homes and had stayed in the system until I was 18 and had not been whisked away to train with ninjas and become the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen. Since my dad had severed ties with Matt’s father, Jack, back when they were teens over some dispute involving money and some guy getting beat up, I never knew I had any family in New York. Then one day after a bottle of wine and with Jen’s urging, I decided to do the fateful DNA test. Two months later and I was knocking on the door of Nelson & Murdock: Avocados at law. Learning about Matt’s nighttime pursuits took him falling through my window in a very Frank Castle-esque move and me stitching up three bullet holes in his shoulder. 

“Why don’t you just ask him out?” 

“I thought he had a thing with that reporter, Karen?” Jen pursed her lips and I laughed. 

“Oh come on, she’s not that bad.” I said, remembering in particular the way she’d advocated for Frank during his trial. 

“Agree to disagree.” 

The next hour passed quickly thanks to several beers and when I next looked at my watch, it was 7 pm. 

“Shit, I gotta get home.” I said, draining my beer and gathering my jacket and purse. 

“Hot date?” Jen asked, lifting an eyebrow.

“Something like that.” I blushed, thinking about Frank’s mouth on me in the shower.

“Do tell!” Jen clapped her hands, grinning. 

“Can’t. I don’t know. Later.” I said, flustered. Imagining having to introduce Frank as “Pete Castiglione” to my best friend left a sour taste in my mouth.

“Alright, alright, you’re off the hook for now.” Jen waved goodbye and I blew her a kiss as I rushed out of the bar, dialing Frank’s number.

“Hey, sweetheart.” I smiled as his voice crackled through my speaker.

“Hi. I’m coming home.” I said softly.

“Good, Lola misses you.”

“Is Lola the only one who misses me?” I teased.

“No.” Frank said immediately. 

“Good. See you soon.” I hung up, butterflies in my stomach. 

“I’m hoooome.” I called out, closing the front door behind me and bending down to receive Lola’s excited kisses. 

“Hey,” I stood up and was met with a delicious sight. Frank, dishtowel over his shoulder, holding a spoon with some kind of sauce all over it and his cheeks flushed from what I presumed was standing over a hot stove.

“Making dinner for me?” I fake-gasped and placed a hand over my heart. 

“Ah, shut up.” Frank ducked his head and scrunched his nose. 

“You’re the best, I’m starving.” I dropped my stuff on the couch and gave him a kiss on the cheek as I went into the bedroom to change out of my jeans. 

I re-emerged clad in yoga pants and a flannel with my hair up and perched on a seat at the kitchen table, watching as Frank stirred a few bubbling pots on the stove.

“What are we having, Chef Frank?” I asked, eyeing the way his back muscles shifted under his tight t-shirt. 

“Be patient.” He grumbled, pushing Lola off his leg where she was eagerly trying to take a look in one of the pans. “Down, mutt. I already fed you.”

Lola gave a huff and came over to me as if to say “isn’t he so mean?”

“Yes, he’s the worst.” I cooed, leaning down to heave all 35 pounds of her into my lap.

“I am not the worst.” Frank said indignantly, turning around and throwing the dishtowel at me. I shrieked and then dissolved into giggles as it landed neatly on Lola’s head. I plucked it off and set her back on the floor, standing up and snapping the towel at Frank’s ass. 

“Ey!” He jumped and frowned at me. “Don’t be rude or you won’t get dinner.”

“I’m sorry,” I batted my eyelashes at him and he snorted, sneaking an arm around my waist and pulling me against him. 

“Here, stir this.” He put a spoon in my hand and positioned himself behind me, burying his nose into what seemed to be his favorite spot behind my ear. I shivered, but tried to concentrate on stirring the pan of what appeared to be a golden curry with vegetables and tofu. Frank stepped back and started setting the table and I marveled at the way he already knew where everything was in the kitchen. I snapped off the burners and scooped up rice and curry for each of us onto the plates that Frank offered. 

“Frank, this is so good!” I exclaimed after my first mouthful.

“Yeah?” He smiled. “I thought you’d like it.”

“Where’d you learn to cook?” I asked, shoveling more into my mouth. 

“Some on the base, some at home. I liked treating Maria to a dinner at home.” He said quietly and I touched his foot with mine under the table. 

“That’s sweet.” 

We ate in silence for a moment before Frank asked how work had been. I regaled him with tales of Post Malone’s dramatic meltdown and how he had to be plied with Bombay Saphire before he agreed to go onstage. Frank was full-on laughing by the time I got to that part and I was quite pleased with myself.

“But at least I got drinks with Jen after, that made it suck a bit less.” I finished my plate of food and propped my chin on my hand. 

“She a good friend?” Frank asked.

“Yeah, my best friend in the city.” I grinned. “You’ll like her.”

“I’m sure I will.” Frank said, but he looked a little troubled.

“What’s up?” I said softly, reaching across the table for his hand. I noticed that his trigger finger was tapping wildly in a staccato rhythm against the table.

“Let’s clean up then we can talk about it.” I suggested after he didn’t answer, standing up and picking up both of our plates. I put them and the pans into the sink and ran hot water and dish soap over them, leaving them to soak while Frank threw away the food scraps and napkins. Once we were finished, I took his hand and led him over to the couch, putting my legs across his lap as we sat down. Lola was curled in her dog bed in the corner and snoring.

Frank sighed and scrubbed a hand over his face, eyes darting around the room.

“I just… I’m not sure how this works.” He said finally. “You know it’s like, I’m Frank at home with you, but out there I’m supposed to be Pete, but there’s people like Mae and David and Sarah who know me as Frank… it’s confusing I guess. How to know who I can trust and who I can’t.” He looked at me beseechingly. 

“I can imagine it’s tough.” I said, taking his hand again and running my thumb over his twitching finger. “But let’s just take it a day at a time, yeah? Your judgement seems pretty sound to me and I think you’ll be able to figure it out.” 

“I just…” Frank blew out a breath forcefully, avoiding eye contact with me. “I don’t understand why you wanna do this, go through this bullshit when you could be out there with someone who doesn’t need to lead this double fuckin’ life.” 

“Hey, hey, stop it.” I said, moving my hands to his face and turning him to me. “I want you. The way you are. The way everything is.” He closed his eyes and leaned his forehead into mine. I kissed the bridge of his nose and just breathed with him.

“Okay.” He said finally, opening his eyes and kissing the corner of my mouth.

“Okay.” I repeated, putting my arms around his neck. He smiled crookedly and kissed me for real, slanting his mouth over mine and swiping his tongue across my bottom lip. I opened my mouth for him and my body tingled when he slid his tongue along mine. He rumbled out a moan and I tensed, clenching my thighs together. 

“Bedroom?” Frank said in a low voice when he pulled away. I nodded, not trusting my voice. He stood up first and offered me a hand. I took it and the feel of the rough pads of his fingers on mine made me swallow hard. He pulled me in and kissed me again, tangling his hands in my hair, pulling it out of the bun I’d put it up in. I was breathless when he put my legs around his waist and lifted me up. He rubbed his nose against mine and started whispering filthy things in my ear as he walked us towards the bedroom, making me whine and shift against him.


	9. Patience

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pure smut.

Frank laid me down on the bed and I unwound my legs from around his waist, grabbing ahold of his shirt and pulling his mouth back down to mine. He kissed me hard, nipping and biting at my lips, curling his tongue around mine, kissing me like he wanted to devour me. 

“Frank,” I whispered, shuddering as he scraped his teeth against my neck and then soothed the sting with his tongue.

“Yeah, sweetheart?” He brought his face up to mine, kissing my lips gently as his fingers made short work of the buttons on my shirt. 

“I need you.” I whimpered, pulling at him and trying to get his weight on top of me. I desperately wanted to feel his body on mine. 

“I know babygirl, patience.” Frank growled, exhaling sharply when he realized I wasn’t wearing anything under the flannel. Pushing my shirt off my shoulders, he tapped my hip, motioning for me to slide further up the bed. I did as requested until my head was resting against my pillows and cried out as his lips captured my right nipple. I looked down and he was grinning wickedly and the sight of his teeth around my skin made me lightheaded. He started to kiss his way down my stomach to my yoga pants and mouthed at my hipbone. 

“Frank.” I pushed myself up to my elbows. 

“Mhm,” he murmured against my skin, starting to slowly peel down the waistband of my pants. 

“Hurry up!” I exclaimed, running my left foot over the impressive bulge in his pants. His eyes rolled back in his head and he huffed hard through his nose. 

“What did I say about patience?” He said, but before I could blink my yoga pants were gone and he was taking off his shirt. I bit my lip as I ran my eyes down his impressive torso, wanting to lick and suck on every scar and muscle. He unzipped his jeans and dropped them to the floor then crawled up my body, taking my face in his hands and kissing me deep. I wriggled under him, clutching his back, trying to feel as much of him as I could at once. 

“Please, please, please.” I found myself whispering against his lips. He reached down with his right hand, slipping his fingers into my panties and stroking me. I pushed my hips into his and he moved his left hand to my throat, not pushing down but resting it there. 

“Fuck.” I closed my eyes as he pushed two fingers into me, hard. 

“Good girl.” Frank said, pulling his fingers out and pushing them against my lips. I opened my mouth obediently and sucked the taste of myself off his fingers. He snarled, eyes dark, locked on the sight of my mouth hollowed around his fingers. He stood up fast and shed his boxers as I wiggled out of my underwear. 

I was breathing hard, soaking wet, and I reached for him. He leaned back down over me, settling between my hips and I bucked against him. 

“What do you want?” Frank growled, tangling his right hand in my hair and pressing our foreheads together. 

“You, please.” I whimpered. 

“Where.”

“Inside me.” 

Frank pushed my hips further open and lined himself up, leaning in to kiss me just as he slid inside me. We both moaned and I felt myself stretching to accommodate him. 

“So fucking tight.” Frank hissed, hand still in my hair and the other gripping my hip so tightly I knew there’d be bruises. Good, I thought savagely. I want him to mark me.

“Move, Frank, please.” I ran my feet up and down his legs and felt him shift forward until he was all the way in to the hilt. 

“You like it rough sweetheart?” Frank planted a hand by my head and pulled my hips up to meet his. 

“Yes.” I looked him square in the eyes and he grinned. 

“Good, cuz I don’t wanna be gentle.” With that, he snapped his hips forward so hard I saw stars. 

“So good, so good,” I chanted as he picked up a punishing pace, the hand in my hair moving again to my throat. 

“So fuckin perfect, you’re so goddamn beautiful.” Frank praised, tucking my right knee over his elbow and I practically screamed as the new angle allowed the head of his cock to rub my G spot. I clutched at his hair, pulling hard and smiling when I saw that he liked it. 

“Harder.” I moaned, keeping one hand in his hair and grabbing his ass with the other, trying to bury him deeper. Frank growled and pulled out of me. I cried out at the loss of contact, but before I knew it, he’d flipped me over onto all fours and shoved himself back inside me.

“Your ass drives me crazy.” Frank slapped my right asscheek and watched it jiggle and I hissed at the sting. “Walking around in those jeans, just begging for me to grab it.”

“All for you.” I panted, looking at him over my shoulder and pushing my ass back onto him. 

“Look at you. Look at you taking my cock, such a good girl.” Frank praised, leaning over my back and biting into my shoulder. I shouted his name and he covered my mouth with one hand, the other holding me in place as he fucked me. 

“Shhhh, sweetheart, don’t wanna get the neighbors over here asking what’s going on.” Frank said in my ear and I licked the meat of his palm, making him groan. “Can you be quiet for me, princess?”

I shivered and nodded. 

“Good.” Frank straightened up and put the hand that had been over my mouth between my shoulder blades, pushing my torso down onto the bed. I pressed my cheek into the mattress, staring open mouthed as I watched him thrusting into me. I felt my orgasm coiled low in my belly and as if he could sense it, Frank let that nervous trigger finger dance over my clit. My eyes slammed shut and I came hard, Frank murmuring praise, telling me I was so good, so fucking good, so perfect. 

I tried to catch my breath as he fucked me through my comedown, slowing down a little, but not relenting. Once I was fully recovered, he flipped us again, starting to stroke slower and deeper, pressing kisses into my face. 

“Frank,” I whispered, biting at his jaw and ears, scraping my teeth over his collarbones. He buried his face in my neck, breathing hot on my skin. I dug my nails into his back and he rewarded me with a sharp thrust that took my breath away. He raised himself up on his hands and picked up my left leg, placing it over his shoulder, opening me up to him even further. 

“Come on sweetheart, want you to come for me again.” Frank started to pick up the pace again, leaning down and kissing underneath my breasts, licking and sucking love bites into my flesh. 

“I can’t.” I moaned, feeling boneless and lazy, my arms winding around his neck. 

“Yes you can.” Frank pressed his thumb right where we were joined and I fell apart without even realizing it was going to happen. 

“Good girl. Fuck I’m gonna come.” Frank hissed, his face screwed up in ecstasy as I clenched around him. 

“Come Frank, come for me.” I ran my hands over his cheeks, watching where he was moving in and out of me. He thrust once, twice, then he collapsed forward, catching most of his weight on his elbows and turning his face into the space between my neck and shoulder. I sighed heavily, winding my legs around him and keeping him there. We laid there for a moment, me running my nails lazily up and down his back, his breathing slowly returning to normal. 

He raised his head and kissed me before pulling out of me. He looked down and when he saw some of his cum trailing down my thigh, scooped it up with two fingers and raised his fingers to my mouth again. I almost fainted at how hot it was to taste both of our bodies mixed on his fingers and sucked greedily. 

“Shit.” Frank bit his lower lip, eyes still dark. He kissed me and rolled onto his side, drawing me into his chest. I pressed my forehead into his skin, inhaling his heady scent. I looked up and he was gazing down at me, a soft smile on his face. 

“C’mere.” He whispered, cupping my face in my hands and tilting my lips up to his. Frank reached down for the covers that had been rucked up and drew them around us, keeping me flush to his body with his other arm. I snuggled into him, hardly able to keep my eyes open. 

“Sleep, sweetheart.” Frank said into my hair, pressing a kiss there and starting to rub circles into my back. I was all too happy to oblige.


	10. Jupiter Burgers

“Frank can you please stop watching me?” I looked up from my computer, pushing my glasses up my nose and frowning at him where he was sitting on the floor with Lola. 

“What? Me? Watching?” Frank feigned innocence, but a smirk was tugging at the corner of his mouth. 

“I can feel you staring at me and it’s making it very hard to write this already terrible sketch.” I pouted, scanning the last few lines I’d written. “God this is pure shit.”

“I’m sure it’s not.” Frank said earnestly, pushing Lola off his lap and getting up. He stood behind me and pushed his thumbs into my shoulders, making me sigh as the tension in them dissipated. He leaned over my right shoulder and I slammed my laptop shut. 

“No! It’s so bad, please don’t read it.” I said almost hysterically, turning my head to face him. 

“Hey, hey, okay.” Frank put his hands up and backed away a step. “Didn’t mean to freak you out.”

I groaned and put my computer on the coffee table, dropping my head into my hands. “Sorry, sorry, I’m awful when I’m stressed.” 

I lifted my head when I felt Frank’s knuckles under my chin and he gently removed my glasses and kissed me between the eyebrows. 

“You’re never awful,” He said earnestly. “But you are stressed. Why don’t you take a break?”

“And do what?” I moaned. 

“Well, I can think of at least one thing that would calm you down.” Frank winked. 

“Frank, I simply cannot have sex again, we have done it 3 times in,” I checked my watch. “15 hours.” I blushed thinking about how Frank had woken me up with his face between my legs, which had led to lazy, slow, early-morning sex, and blushed even deeper thinking about how he had pushed me against the wall of the shower as we got ready for the day and made my moans echo through the entire bathroom. “I know you have some sort of superhuman endurance, but I am a mere mortal.”

Frank laughed. “We could go box or something?” 

I eyed him up and down, noting that he was shifting from foot to foot and seemed anxious to get out of the house. 

“Yeah, alright.” I said, unfolding myself from the position I had occupied on the couch since 10 am and wincing as my joints popped. I managed to change into workout clothes interrupted only twice by Frank tackling me onto the bed when I sassed him about how I would kick his ass at the gym. 

“Ready?” Frank asked, tugging on the brim of his baseball hat so it sat low over his eyes. 

“Yep.” I picked up Lola’s leash and we stepped out into the hallway. As we entered the stairwell, I heard a noise above us and looked up. I saw someone’s head on the landing above quickly whip out of sight and then footsteps running up the stairs. 

“Everything ok?” Frank looked up at me from the few steps he’d already descended. 

“Yeah,” I said, turning slowly, feeling the back of my neck prickle, though I didn’t know why. 

\----

“C’mon girl, hit harder!” I grunted and threw a right hook, which Frank dodged easily. I gritted my teeth and slipped left, reaching out with an uppercut that he batted to the side. I set my shoulders and feinted a jab before dropping down and throwing a low cross, which, to both of our surprise, hit Frank’s bare stomach. 

“Yes!” I shouted, jumping back and throwing up my gloves in victory. 

“Well, shit.” Frank said mildly, looking down at where I’d hit him.

I stuck my tongue out and paraded in a circle around the ring, blowing kisses to my imaginary fans. 

“Alright, settle down.” Frank said, laughing. “You landed one punch in 30 minutes.”

“Yeah, but I’m not The Punisher,” I put my gloves on my hips. Frank rolled his eyes, but his smile didn’t dim. I ducked out of the ring and pulled my gloves off, taking a long drink from my water bottle. Frank grunted as he wiped a towel over his face and I licked my lips as his biceps and chest muscles flexed.

“Now who’s staring?” Frank teased, throwing his towel at me. I sidestepped it easily and pulled my hoodie back on. 

“Can we please get some food I am starving.” I moaned dramatically, walking over to the office to let Lola out. 

“If you keep wearing those leggings, we can do whatever you want.” Frank called back. I laughed and shook my ass in his direction. 

“Can’t get enough of my ass, can you Castle?”

“Nope.” Frank was suddenly behind me, his sweaty chest pushed against my back. He gathered my ponytail in one hand and pushed it away from my shoulder, dropping a kiss onto my skin. Lola headbutted his legs and he bent down to scratch her ears as I closed the office door. 

“What do you want to eat?” Frank asked as we gathered our belongings. 

“A burger sounds heavenly.” I said. 

“Atta girl.” Frank grinned and hefted both of our bags onto his shoulder. 

“I know a place nearby. Let’s get changed and go.” 

 

\---

 

“Hey Annie, how are you?” I smiled up at our waitress and she put a hand on my shoulder. 

“I’m just fine, sweetie. How are you and who is this handsome guy?”

“I’m great! Work is busy of course, but can’t complain. And this is Pete.” 

Frank tipped the brim of his baseball cap. “Pleasure to meet you ma’am.”

“Pleasure’s all mine!” Annie winked at me. “So Ella I know what you’ll have, but what can I get you, Pete?”

“I’ll have what she’s having.” Frank said, nudging my foot under the table. 

“Sounds good!” Annie put away her notepad and mouthed ‘he’s cute!’ at me before walking back to the kitchen. 

“Been coming here for a while?” Frank asked, leaning against the cracked vinyl of the booth. 

“Yeah, it was, uh, my parents’ favorite spot. They actually met here. My mom was a waitress and spilled ketchup all over my dad.” I smiled, remembering the story that my parents told every time we came to the Jupiter Diner. “Annie’s been here since I was born. She actually owns the place now.”

Frank reaches across the table for my hand, thumb stroking over my knuckles. 

“I’m honored you took me here.” He said quietly. “I know how special places like this are.”

“You showed me part of your past at Mae’s and I wanted to return the favor.” I smiled. “Plus I love coming here. It never makes me feel sad, just a little nostalgic.” 

Frank nodded and we started talking about my boxing form, but his hand didn’t leave mine until Annie returned with our plates. 

“Two Jupiter burgers and of course, fries extra crispy!” She announced, putting them down. “More coffee honey?” She asked, noticing Frank’s empty cup. 

“There’s not enough coffee in the world to satisfy Fr-Pete.” I said, stumbling over the last word, but correcting myself quickly. 

“I’ll take that as a yes, then. Be right back!” Annie sang out. 

“Shit, sorry, close call.” I winced. 

“Hey, it’s okay. It’s weird.” Frank shook his head, dismissing my concern. We both picked up our burgers and took a bite. 

“Holy shit.” Frank swallowed and put his down and stared at me.

“I know, right?” I said enthusiastically, picking up a fry. Annie returned and filled Frank’s mug.

“Good so far?” She asked.

“Ma’am, this is quite possibly the best burger I’ve ever had.” Frank said sincerely.

“Glad to hear it, hon. Just holler if you need anything else.” Annie beamed and went back to her spot behind the counter. 

Frank and I dug into our food in earnest, chatting about random things. In the middle of our conversation, however, I felt that prickle on the back of my neck again and turned to the window on my right. My eyes immediately locked into those of a guy leaning against a black car outside, who was staring intently at me and Frank through the glass. Once our eyes met, he immediately opened the driver’s side door and got in, peeling out of the lot. 

“Hey sweetheart, you okay?” Frank’s voice snapped my attention back to the table. 

“Uh, yeah, just something weird outside.”

“What was it.” Frank’s voice was immediately serious and his fists clenched on the table. 

“I’m sure it was nothing, just some guy happened to be looking at me when I looked out the window.” I tried to say casually, but there was no chance Frank was going to let that pass. 

“What kind of guy? What was he wearing? Where is he?” Frank’s eyes darted from me to the window. 

“I don’t know, Frank, he was wearing jeans and a black shirt maybe? Driving a black car, he drove away.” I sighed, picking up another fry. “I swear it was nothing.” 

Frank relaxed a little, but I could tell his mind was racing. “I’ll be right back.” He said, sliding out of the booth and dialing a number on his phone. 

I groaned and took a bite of my burger, watching as he went outside and put the phone to his ear. Based on what he’d told me about his friend David, I guessed he was the one on the other end. Frank was clenching his jaw and pacing as he talked. The conversation lasted just long enough for me to finish my burger and he sat back down just as I drained my coffee. 

“Ready to go?” Frank’s trigger finger was twitching and he didn’t even look down at the food left on his plate. 

“Really?” I sighed. “Where are we going?” 

“I need to go meet up with David. I’m taking you home.”

“Frank, come ON.” I was getting angry. “It was seriously nothing please please can we just drop it?”

“Not a chance.” Frank said immediately, standing up and holding out his hand. I rolled my eyes, but knowing it was pointless to argue, picked up my gym bag and got out of the booth. We walked to the counter and Frank slapped two twenties on it. 

“Thank you ma’am for the coffee and burger, both were delicious.” He said to Annie, who had looked up from her book when we approached. 

“Going so soon?” Her brow furrowed as she took in Frank’s tense posture. 

“Yeah, I have to work.” I smiled at her and her face relaxed. 

“Alright, well, as you know, food’s on the house.” She said, sliding the bills back to Frank. 

“No ma’am.” He said. “A burger like that cannot be given away for free.”

I mouthed “don’t argue” as Annie was about to protest and she smiled. 

“Well come back soon then, both of you.” She pointed sternly at both of us and I promised we would, giving her a hug across the counter. 

We stepped outside and Lola sat up from her usual spot under the bench out front and wagged her tail. Frank leaned down and untied her leash from the bench, handing it to me. I took it wordlessly and started walking. 

“Hey.” Frank caught up with me easily and put a hand on my shoulder, spinning me to face him. I frowned up at him. 

“I’m sure it was nothing, like you’re saying.” He said, one hand moving up to my cheek. “But I can’t take any risks. Especially because I know the Russians are active again. I need to,” he swallowed hard. “I need to make sure you’re safe, okay?” 

My heart softened.

“I know.” I said, reaching up to cover his hand with mine. “I guess this comes with the territory.”

“Unfortunately, it does.” Frank set his jaw. “Which is why you really -“

“Don’t start.” I held up a hand and resumed walking. “We’re not having that conversation again.” 

We walked back to my apartment mostly in silence, Frank constantly scanning our surroundings and only taking a deep breath when we were inside with the door locked. 

“Stay here.” He said firmly, putting both hands on my waist and curling his thumbs into my hips. 

“I will. I’m gonna finish my sketch.” I nodded. 

“I won’t be long.” Frank grimaced before saying, “Maybe I should have Red come over.” 

“I do not need a babysitter!” I stamped my foot, realizing as I did that this made me look like I was about five and absolutely did need a babysitter. Frank smiled. 

“I know you don’t sweetheart.” He kissed my forehead and rested his chin on the top of my head. I breathed him in for a moment before stepping back. 

“You should go. I’ll text you what groceries you should pick up on your way back.” I said, starting to think about dinner. 

Frank nodded and gave me a quick kiss before dropping his gym bag and heading back out the door.


	11. Spying

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YOU GUYS I'm literally panicked about Season 2 coming up so soon. I'm tempted to finish this story before it drops because I hate the idea of incorporating a new plotline, or alternatively feeling like I'm ignoring what's going on with my boi Frank, but also I'm really enjoying writing this soooo we'll see what happens. Either way, enjoy the chapter and as always, please leave any feedback!

“Finally.” I sighed, closing my laptop with a satisfying snap and rolling my shoulders back. I checked my watch and was surprised to see that two hours had passed since I’d started writing. The sketch was done and sent off to Dan for approval, but Frank was still gone.

“Where do you think he is, Lola?” I patted the couch next to me and Lola jumped up, thrilled that I was finally paying attention to her. She licked my cheek and I scratched her ears, trying not to think about where Frank could be. I was just thinking about texting him when I heard a noise on the fire escape. I got up cautiously and tiptoed over to where the curtain was drawn over the newly fixed window. I crouched down til the top of my head was beneath the sill, feeling ridiculous, and cautiously moved the curtain an inch to the left. My worst fears were immediately confirmed as I saw a pair of feet at the edge of the platform. 

I sucked in a breath and let the curtain fall back, my mind racing. What the fuck was I supposed to do in this scenario? I decided to brave it and take another look out the window and yelled in surprise when someone’s face was right near the glass.

“Jess?” I spluttered, staring into the wide brown eyes of Jessica Jones.

“Hey.” She waved casually, motioning for me to open the window.

“What the everloving fuck are you doing on my fire escape?” I pushed the window up and she climbed not so graciously into my living room.

“Keeping an eye on you.” She said, taking a long drink from the coffee cup in her hand, the alcoholic fumes from which I could smell from two feet away. 

“Keeping an eye… Frank.” I growled, 

“Well, Frank by way of Matt.” Jess shrugged, sauntering over to my kitchen table and putting her feet up on it as she sat down. Lola trotted over and Jess begrudgingly let her hand be licked.  
“For God’s sake.” I groaned, slapping my palm to my forehead. “What does that even mean?”

“Frank called Matt to come sit on your fire escape and make sure nothing happened to you, but Matt was out with Karen, so Matt called me! I guess they both figured you’d be less pissed off if you caught me anyway.” Jess leaned back in the chair, examining her fingernails.

“I’m going to kill both of them.” I announced, crossing my arms over my chest.

“Happy to help if you want me to.” Jess quirked an eyebrow. “So, got any booze?”

“In the freezer.” I motioned towards my fridge and started pacing the floor. “Does he really think I can’t take care of myself?” I asked, whirling around and staring at Jess accusingly.

“Who, Frank?” Jess dropped some ice cubes into one of my glasses. “Oh, definitely not.” She poured a healthy measure of vodka into the glass and shut the freezer door. 

“That is such bullshit!” I exclaimed. 

“I mean, he’s got a point.” Jess waved her free hand up and down my body. 

“I have a gun!”

“Yeah, so do the Russians.” Jess said flatly. “Look, he just cares about you or something gross, so just let him do his whole Punisher protecting thing, okay?”

“Not okay!” I shouted. “I do not need to be babysat!”

“Oh, shit.” I heard from behind me and turned around to see Frank framed in the doorway, a very guilty expression on his face and a giant duffle bag and Whole Foods bag at his feet. 

“You!” I pointed at him.

“I see Jessica wasn’t exactly as discreet as I would have hoped.” Frank glared at Jess, who blinked innocently. 

“I dropped my phone!” She said. “She probably would’ve figured it out anyway.” 

“That’s debatable.” Frank shot back.

“Excuse me, can we just get to the part where I tell you that if you have people come over and spy on me again I’ll cut your balls off?” I asked, frowning at him.

“Not spying!” Jess put her hands up in a “don’t shoot” gesture. “Just…. watching.”

“Same difference!” I shouted. “Frank, I get that you’re worried about me, but it is deeply uncool to send my friends to sit on my fire escape without my knowledge.”

“Okay, this is starting to sound like a lover’s quarrel, so I’m gonna go ahead and head out.” Jess drained her glass, stood up and gave Frank a mock-salute. “See ya later, soldier. Sorry Ella. Even though it’s not my fault.” She disappeared out the front door, closing it none too quietly behind her.

Silence descended on the room as Frank rubbed his hand through his short hair and ducked his head, avoiding my eyes.

“El, I’m sorry.” He finally looked up after I made it clear I wasn’t going to talk first and took a few hesitant steps towards me. “I swear, it’s because I care about you, not that I don’t think you’re capable of handling shit on your own.” He halfway smiled. “I’ve been in the ring with you girl, I know you can do what’s necessary.”

“Then let me if I have to!” I said, taking a step towards him. 

“It’s just, I’m worried.” Frank said lowly, his eyes searching mine. “The Russians, they’ve got it out for me ever since last year when I took a ton of ‘em out. They know who I am, Pete Castiglione, Frank Castle, all of it. I can’t let them get to you. I just can’t.” He said pleadingly, reaching out and cupping my face in his hands. 

“I know you’re worried.” I said slowly. “But you can’t just have me watched, that’s not fair. Let’s come up with a plan together.”

“Yeah, you’re right.” Frank stroked his thumb over my cheekbone and I leaned into his touch. “A plan, that’s good.” 

“Yes, it is.” I nodded. “But first, let’s make dinner. I’m starving. Actually wait, why don’t you tell me exactly how you came to know Jessica Jones?”

“How about you tell me how you know the grumpiest woman in New York City?” Frank retaliated, his thumb rubbing my lower lip.

“I know Trish Walker from when she was on SNL. We hit it off and have stayed friends, thus I met Jess through Trish. Though of course I knew who she was already thanks to the whole ‘Defenders’ fiasco.” I rolled my eyes.

“Mm.” Frank grunted. “I met her in a bar.”

I burst out laughing despite myself. “Please tell me you tried to buy her a drink.”

“No way.” Frank scowled. “I watched her almost put a guy’s head through the bar after he touched her ass and figured she might be a useful woman to know.” 

“Oh, she is.” I quipped.

“How was it for you, you know, when Matt was ‘dead’?” Frank asked bluntly, actually going to the trouble to make the air quotes.

“It sucked.” I shrugged. “Thinking that my last relative in the world was dead, I mean…. I never knew any of my mom’s family because she ran away from home when she was 18 to be with my dad. And after they both died,” I swallowed hard. “It felt like such a miracle that I found Matt, you know? And then to think that I’d lost him.” I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. “I kinda lost it for a while.”

Frank brought his hand back to my cheek and tilted my chin up to look at him.

“Well you’ve got it back now.” He half-smiled. “You’re a brave woman, sweetheart.”

“Yeah.” I said ruefully. “Haven’t had much of a choice but to be.” 

Frank kissed the tip of my nose.

\---

“You may be forgiven because that was so good.” I handed my empty plate to Frank and he smiled, dropping a kiss on the top of my head as he brought our dishes to the sink. 

“Eggplant parm is always a winner.” He said, running the hot water. 

“So, how was seeing David?” I asked carefully, not sure if this was an off-limits topic.

“That guy’s a pain in the ass.” Frank grumbled. “But he had some decent intel and Leo and Zack were home, so it wasn’t all bad.”

“Those are his kids?” I asked, remembering he’d mentioned their names before.

“Yep.” I could tell Frank was smiling even though I couldn’t see his face. “Leo’s 12 and Zack is 10. Good kids.”

“I bet they love you.” I said.

“Nah.” Frank put the clean dishes in the rack to dry and pulled me out of my chair. “Well, maybe Leo does. Zack’s warming up to me. He didn’t take the whole ‘finding out I was The Punisher’ thing super well.”

“Understandable.” I said, nuzzling into his chest and letting him wrap his arms around me. “But I bet he still loves you.”

Frank grumbled his assent and I felt it reverberate through his chest into mine. I pulled away from him and stood on my tiptoes, nudging my nose against his and he chuckled and kissed me, hands digging gently into my hips. 

“Shall we plan?” I said, gesturing my arm dramatically towards the couch.

“In a minute.” Frank whispered, pulling my mouth back to his. I melted into him, loving the feel of his skin on mine as I snuck my hands underneath the hem of his t-shirt and let my fingers dance over the muscles of his abdomen. I felt goosebumps raise where I touched him and smiled into the kiss. 

“Okay, come on.” I broke it off and took his hand, leading us towards the couch. “I’m dying to know what you found out from David. Also intensely curious to know what was in that giant duffle bag you brought home, though I’m about 99% sure it’s mostly guns.”


	12. Guns

“It is mostly guns!” I exclaimed, leaning over the duffle bag that was now lying unzipped on my living room floor. 

“Damn right.” Frank was crouched next to the bag, sifting through the metal and keeping Lola at bay with one hand. 

“And what exactly do you plan on doing with them?” I inquired.

“Using them when I have to and stashing them in convenient places when I don’t.” Frank said matter of factly, starting to pull weapons out of the bag and line them up on the floor. 

“Fair enough.” I responded, moving to sit on the couch and watch him work, whistling for Lola to join me. Frank sorted through the tangle of automatic, semi-automatic, and pistols, organizing them by category and also pulling out an impressive number of radios and other official-looking equipment. I shivered when I saw him pull out the distinct body armor with a white skull spray painted on it.

“So.” He finally said, sitting back on his heels and looking right at me. “What I learned from David is that there’s definitely a lot of trafficking going on. They’re picking girls up from the street, around Harlem and Hell’s Kitchen mostly and shipping them overseas in containers. Seems like they’re new players, none of the old crowd are back around.”

“Right.” I said, letting the fact that I had no clue who the “old crowd” were anyway go. 

“And I’m gonna fuckin’ stop ‘em.” Frank rubbed his temples. “Unfortunately, that’s probably going to take me teaming up with Red since they seem to have recruited quite a few new guys.” 

“You don’t say.” I tried to keep my voice even, but could tell as I said it that there was a definite ‘I told you so’ lilt in my tone.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m sure you’re thrilled.” Frank scrunched his nose. 

“Well, thrilled is a bit of an exaggeration considering it means that you’ll both be in danger, but I guess I’m happy you won’t be alone?” I surveyed the mass of weapons on my carpet. “Though judging by all this, you’d probably do a pretty good job on your own.”

“That’s my girl.” Frank chuckled. “David’s got surveillance on the docks running 24/7 and gave me access to some of the streams, but he’ll be keeping an eye on it too and let me know when the best time to strike is. I’ll meet with Red and figure out the rest. What I’m worried about is you.” He came and sat next to me on the couch.

“I know.” I sighed, resting my head on his shoulder. 

“I get that you don’t need to be babysat. But it would make me feel a hell of a lot better if we installed some cameras and got an actual deadbolt on that door rather than the pathetic chain that exists now.” Frank murmured into my hair. 

“That seems fair.” I said.

“They know who I am, Ella.” Frank sat up straight and I turned my body to face him. “Pete, Frank, Punisher, whatever. They know me, they know my face. I won’t lie to you that every second you’re with me puts you in danger. I should not stay here.”

“Well I actually feel quite a bit safer when you are here.” I retorted, and Frank exhaled sharply. “Look, I know the risks. I’ll be careful. The cameras will keep me safe. And you will too.” I looked him in the eye and took both his hands. “I know you won’t let anything happen to me.”

Frank nodded rigidly, his eyes scanning my face. 

“David also got in touch with a friend of his in construction and I’m going to start working during the day at his site.” He said. “Keep me busy during the day and that way I won’t be living here rent free.”

“Yeah, what exactly have you been doing during the day?” I inquired.

“Well, I was working construction for a while. Then did some work with the VA. Just things to pay the bills. I also spend a lot of time bringing coffee to this cute girl I know.” Frank winked.

“Oh, shut up.” I laughed. 

“I’ll be done by 5 every day, so I’ll beat you home.” Frank said, his tone serious again. “That way you’re not here alone, at least until I get the situation under control.”

“Until you and Matt get the situation under control.” I held up a finger. “Don’t forget your new business arrangement.”

Frank tackled me, pinning me down on the couch as I dissolved into hysterics. 

 

\--

Frank and I fell into an easy routine over the next month; he would leave early in the morning to be home by 5 while I resumed my usual schedule of insanity, usually collapsing on the couch at 8 or 9. He’d make dinner, we’d talk about our days, and on the weekends take Lola for long walks around the city, stopping at Mae’s or Jupiter on the way home. It felt incredibly normal, despite the fact that once a week Matt and Frank holed up in our kitchen and made tactical plans. 

One Wednesday, I woke up and without even opening my eyes, knew that Frank was gone. I rolled over and checked the time -- 3 am on the dot. There was no question in my mind where he was and I got out of bed, making a cup of tea and gathering the medical supplies I hoped I wouldn’t have to use. I must have fallen asleep on the couch because I was awoken by Frank’s quiet grunts as he tried to remove his vest one-handed. 

“What happened?” I asked sleepily, sitting up and rubbing my eyes. 

“Knife to the shoulder, ‘m fine.” Frank said through gritted teeth. “Fuck!” He gave the strap a frustrated yank.

“C’mere.” I grabbed a towel from where I’d folded a stack of them on the coffee table and Frank pressed it against his injured shoulder, where I saw that it immediately began to turn red. I quickly undid the remaining straps on the vest and Frank released the pressure on his wound and I helped him pull the armor over his head. 

“Go back to bed, sweetheart.” Frank was making his way to the bathroom and I followed him, picking up the suture kit. Lola trotted after us, but after making sure we wouldn’t be giving her any treats, decided she’d rather be in bed. 

“Not a chance. I’ve seen your attempts to stitch yourself with your non-dominant hand before and I do a much better job.” I motioned for him to sit on the toilet lid and he did, allowing me to help him pull his shirt over his head. I threw it into the bathtub and bent over the stab wound. Frank rested his head on my stomach, breathing hard. 

“Is Matt okay?” I asked quietly, starting to clean the area with alcohol pads.

“Fine. Took a few tough blows to the head, but that helmet of his does a pretty good job. Maybe I should look into getting one.”

“Wouldn’t be a bad idea.” I said, threading the needle and bracing his forearm between my legs. “What kind of decoration would you go for?” I asked, trying to distract him as I slid the needle into his skin. Frank barely winced.

“I dunno. Red’s done a real consistent job with his branding, which makes getting dressed up a little easier.” 

I chuckled and tied off the first stitch. I worked in silence for the next few minutes, feeling Frank’s hot breath on my stomach through the thin fabric of my t-shirt, which was actually his.

“All done.” I released his arm and wiped a bit of sweat off my forehead, dropping the used needle in the trash can. 

“Thank you.” Frank whispered, catching the outside of my thighs with his hands and pulling me back to him. I ran my fingers through his hair absentmindedly and took deep breaths. 

“You need to go to sleep, you have work in,” Frank checked his watch. “5 hours.”

“Mm, I’ll work from home.” I murmured, leaning down to kiss him. “I have a patient who needs to be watched. Very. Closely.”

“Yes ma’am.” Frank growled, grabbing me with his good arm and moving me to straddle him.

 

\---

Frank came home bloody one more time in the next two weeks, Matt in tow after he caught someone’s boot to the side of his head. I stitched them both up as best I could and the next few days, Frank was especially on guard, checking the deadbolt multiple times through the night and watching the cameras obsessively. Still, as another week passed and nobody came to our door, we both started to relax. The weekend arrived and I overheard Frank on the phone with David, bout to turn down a dinner invitation when I snatched the phone out of his hands said, “he’ll call you back!” and ended the call.

“Please, please, please can we go?” I begged, hands literally clasped in front of me, looking up at Frank from my position knelt on the couch.

“Why do you want to go so bad?” Frank was half-laughing, but the creases in his forehead told me he was serious.

“I don’t know, you talk to David all the time on the phone and I know he can watch our apartment whenever he wants through the cameras, so I feel like it’s honestly weird I haven’t met him!” I pouted. “And now they’ve invited us over to dinner and you’re being incredibly mean and saying that we can’t go!”

Frank sighed and scratched the beard growing in on his chin. I batted my eyelashes and Lola jumped up on the couch next to me and let her tongue loll out of her mouth as if beseeching Frank to let her come as well.

“Well I’ve got no chance against both of those faces.” Frank said ruefully and I bounced up and threw my arms around his neck.

“You’ll be the death of me, woman.” Frank tangled both hands in my hair and tilted my face up to his, catching my lower lip between his teeth and biting playfully. 

“Mm, I know.” I tipped my head back to feel the pleasurable tension on my scalp and shuddered when Frank started mouthing his way down my neck. 

“I can think of a pretty good way to say thank you.” I whispered, my hands moving down to the button on his jeans. Frank smiled against my collarbones and let me push his pants down around his ankles and stepped out of them. He straightened up and I grabbed at the back of his shirt, pulling it over his head and starting to lick and suck my way down his torso to the waistband of his boxers. I lowered myself onto my knees and Frank sucked in a breath as I scraped my nails down his thighs. I licked my lips and yanked his boxers down, wrapping my hand around his already hard cock. 

“Fuck, girl.” Frank’s eyes fluttered shut and his hands went back into my hair. I took as much of him in my mouth as I could and he moaned, gently bucking his hips forward and I tried not to gag. I started to suck in earnest, moving my hand up and down his shaft and watching as he started to breathe heavier. He started to gently guide my head and I hummed appreciatively, making his eyes snap open and he swore at the sight of me looking up at him with my mouth around him. 

Later, when we finally lay in a sweaty, satiated tangle in bed, Frank told me about the nights that he and David spent together in the basement. I stayed quiet, just listening and didn’t comment when the stories switched to memories of Maria and the kids, eventually falling asleep to the quiet rumble of his voice. The last thing I remembered him whispering was the phrase, “one batch, two batch. Penny and dime.”


	13. Happy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> YOU GUYS. The trailer. I'm weak. Definitely going to wrap this one up in the next week!

“Are you sure I look okay?” I turned fretfully in front of the mirror, tugging on the hem of the navy dress I was wearing. 

“You look beautiful.” Frank said from where he was lying on the bed, Lola across his stomach. 

“Argh, I guess I believe you.” I sighed, casting one last look over my reflection before coming to sit on the edge of the bed. 

“Why are you the one having second thoughts?” Frank chuckled. “You wanted to go more than I did!”

“I know,” I wailed. “I guess I’m just nervous.”

“You have nothing to be nervous about.” Frank said, sitting up and pulling me into his arms. Lola licked my nose reassuringly and I laughed for the first time since I had started getting ready an hour before. 

“There we go.” Frank murmured from his favorite spot behind my ear, pushing my hair over my left shoulder so my neck was exposed to him. He planted a kiss on my jaw and I relaxed, letting my head loll back into his chest. 

“Hey! No funny business.” I sat up as his lips started to travel further south and his hand crept up my thigh. “We can’t be late.”

“Dammit.” 

I stood up, a little unsteady in my heels and Frank followed suit, dusting Lola hairs off his pants. He looked so fine in his navy slacks and a striped button down with the sleeves pushed up that I had to take a deep breath before shaking my head a little and picking up my purse. 

“I see you decided not to wear the combat boots!” I commented as we stepped out into the hallway.

“One time exception.” Frank chuckled. I locked the door behind us and we made our way downstairs to where my car was parked. 

\--

“No way, Frank did not make you pho while you were hungover.” I said in disbelief, fork suspended in midair.

“Yes! I’m not kidding!” David exclaimed, his bright blue eyes full of laughter. “In that crappy little kitchen area we had, just serving up Vietnamese broth and slicing limes.” 

“Wow, the big bad Punisher making soup for his friend.” I shook my head and grinned at Frank.

“Ah, shut up, Lieberman.” He said, ducking his head to hide his smile. I laughed and Frank’s warm hand found my thigh under the table. 

“Sarah, this was so good, thank you so much.” I said earnestly, turning to David’s wife. She smiled and tucked her strawberry blonde hair behind her ear.

“I’m so glad you liked it! One of my mom’s old recipes.” 

I stood up and started stacking Frank’s plate on top of mine to carry it to the kitchen, waving off Sarah’s insistence that I sit down. David got up and took his wife’s dish and we made our way to the kitchen. I dropped the dishes in the sink and turned to find David studying me. 

“He really likes you, you know.” He said quietly. “I haven’t seen him like this before.” 

I blushed. “I really like him too.”

“Just make sure you’re aware of the risks. “ David said, and held up a hand when I started to object. “I’m not trying to talk you out of anything. I think this is great. Just remember that you need to constantly be aware.” 

I nodded and said, “Thank you. From what I’ve heard, you kept him from going crazy when you guys were in that basement. I’m grateful for that.”

David snorted. “Frank’s a crazy bastard one way or the other. I just stopped him from getting himself killed prematurely.” 

I laughed and we walked back into the dining room, where Frank caught my eye from his position leaned back in his chair talking to Sarah. A slow smile spread over his face and I felt myself get warm from head to toe.  
“Do you guys want coffee?” David asked from behind me.

“When has Frank ever said no to coffee?” I rolled my eyes.

“He’s also never said no to rosé.” Sarah added and I saw her kick Frank lightly under the table.

“Rosé, huh? I didn’t know that was your alcohol of choice, Frank.” I teased just to watch him scowl. We moved to the living room and just as David returned with mugs of coffee, the front door flew open and two kids tumbled through, breathless from the cold air.

“Hey, kiddos!” David put the coffee on the table and held out his arms. Leo flew into them and Zack followed, both talking a mile a minute about the basketball game they’d just returned from. A girl in her late teens trailed behind them, looking exhausted. 

“Ok, ok, go say hi to Uncle Frank.” David straightened up and addressed the girl. “I hope they weren’t too much trouble.”

“No, they were fine.” She said listlessly, popping her gum. David grimaced and handed her a few folded twenties, which she counted impassively. “Thanks Mr. Liebermann.” She gave a weak wave to the kids and closed the front door behind her. 

Leo and Zack were crowded around Frank, Leo with an arm around his shoulders and Zack showing him something on his phone. Frank hugged Leo to him almost absentmindedly and it made my heart ache a little. She turned and eyed me shyly before whispering something in Frank’s ear. 

“That’s Ella.” Frank responded audibly. “My…. girlfriend.” 

I swallowed as he said the word and watched as Leo’s face lit up.

“Hi Ella!” She bounded across the room to me and I leaned forward in my chair to accept her hug.

“Hey! Your name is Leo, right?” I asked brightly.

“Yep.” Leo studied my face seriously. “Frank, she’s really pretty.”

“Well thanks, sweetheart, I’m glad you approve.” Frank chuckled and I blushed. Zack walked over to me and held out his hand formally, which I shook. 

“I’m Zack.” He chewed on his lower lip and then went to sit next to his mother on the couch.

“Very nice to meet you both.” I said, making room next to me on the loveseat as Leo made it clear she wanted to sit next to me.

She peppered me with questions for the next ten minutes asking about my job, who the most famous person I’d ever met was, and when I told her about Lola, squealed so loudly I swear the windows rattled.

“A dog? I want to meet her! Dad won’t let us get a dog.” She pouted in David’s direction and he threw up his hands.

“Oh lord, here we go.” He sighed.

“Dogs are a lot of work. But how about you come by and visit Lola any time you want?” I suggested and Leo clapped her hands. She and Zack got bored fairly quickly listening to the adults talk and scampered off upstairs as the conversation moved to David’s work with a data security firm. I kept catching Frank staring at me and met his eyes a few times and squirmed slightly at the level of intensity in his gaze. 

By 10 pm, I was yawning surreptitiously behind my hand and Frank announced our exit. 

“This was lovely, thank you for having us over.” I gave Sarah a hug and David pulled me in for one as well, surprising me a bit. 

“Any time! We’ll have to get together again soon.” 

“Bye Sarah, see you later Lieberman.” Frank kissed Sarah on the cheek and they waved from the doorway as we got back into my car and Frank pulled away from the curb.

“That was fun.” I relaxed back into my seat and studied Frank’s profile. He turned his head slightly to look at me and half-smiled. “You okay?” I asked, stroking his hand where he was gripping the gear shift.

“Yeah. Just… felt like my worlds colliding a bit.” He said.

“I can understand that. David really knows you.” Frank nodded and we drove the rest of the way to the apartment in companionable silence.

I was brushing my teeth in the bathroom when I saw Frank come up behind me in the mirror. He wrapped his arms around my waist and I pulled my toothbrush out of my mouth.

“What’s up?” I asked, slightly garbled through the toothpaste suds. 

“I’m happy.” Frank whispered against my neck. I leaned over and rinsed out my mouth and turned to face him, one hand on his cheek. 

“Is that okay?” I brushed my nose against his.

“More than okay.” We both smiled at the memory and Frank kissed me sweetly.

“I used to feel guilty about feeling happy. Like I was doing a disservice to their memory.” He explained, holding me by my hips. I felt a lump form in my throat. “But I’ve been trying so hard… so hard to just, feel.” Frank’s grip tightened then relaxed and he cleared his throat. “I think it’s working.”

“I’m glad.” I rested my forehead against his and wrapped my arms around his neck. 

“Me too.”


	14. Taken

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two chapters in one day? You lucky ducks! As always, let me know what ya think :)

“God damn, what a party.” Jen sighed, sliding into the taxi next to me and slamming the door. I could do little more than giggle and nod, the copious amounts of champagne I’d drunk at the SNL cast party impairing my ability to form coherent sentences. 

“Christ, you are hammered!” Jen burst out laughing as the taxi pulled away from the curb. 

“Am not.” I tried to look serious, but the world was spinning a bit, so I opted to lay my head against the cool glass of the window. I watched through half-closed eyes as the lights of the city slid by the window and was happy when we finally pulled up in front of my building.

“Should I come in with you? Or is Mr. Secret Boyfriend home?” Jen raised an eyebrow as I half-fell half-climbed out of the car. 

“‘M fine, I’m sure he’s home.” I mumbled, collecting my purse from the seat and blowing her a kiss. “See you Monday.”

I unlocked the entry door clumsily and took a centering breath before starting to climb the stairs. I made it into the apartment and was surprised to find it dark. Lola barreled into my legs, effectively knocking me down onto the hallway floor and I lay there laughing as she slobbered all over my face. I finally pushed her off and extracted my phone from my purse with some difficulty, realizing that I hadn’t checked it in a few hours. I rolled onto my stomach and squinted at the bright screen as it came to life.

“Ah, fuck.” I whispered, noting that I had two missed messages from Frank, the most recent from half an hour ago. I clicked on my texts and struggled to focus on the words. 

 

Frank: Emergency at the site with a burst pipe. Going to have to stay late. How’s the party?

Frank: Guessing the lack of response means it’s going well. Call me before you leave sweetheart. 

 

I groaned and quickly hit the button to call him, sitting up and pressing a hand to my forehead. His phone rang and rang, but eventually went to voicemail. I left him a quick message apologizing for missing his texts and letting him know I was home before kicking off my heels and making my way to the kitchen for a glass of water.

I fed Lola and leaned against the counter, glad that the room was spinning a little less. I was putting my glass in the sink and getting ready to head to the bedroom when I heard something tap against the glass of my living room window. I turned hesitantly and made my way over to where the curtain was drawn over the frame. I curled one hand around the edge of the fabric and instantly, the window exploded, sending shattered glass shooting at my face. I screamed and shielded my eyes as best as I could, feeling shards embed themselves in my hands. I dropped to the floor and crawled to the side of the window, breathing hard and trying to make Lola go to the bedroom. She was barking like crazy, but finally got the hint and took off. 

I was about to start crawling towards where I could see my phone lying on the couch, but just then, a pair of boots came through the broken window and someone was suddenly standing in front of me, wearing a black ski mask. I raised my hands and whispered, “please,” but his hand moved towards me, I felt a sharp sting in the side of my neck, and then everything went black.

 

\----

 

The first thing I noticed when I came to was that my head hurt. A lot. I cursed myself for drinking so much, but was pretty sure that the majority of the pain was coming from whatever wound was steadily dripping blood down the side of my face. I slowly opened my eyes and took stock of the situation.

I was sitting on a rolling chair, arms and ankles zip-tied to the chair. I was barefoot and the front of my dress was covered in blood, which I figured had accumulated from the cut in my head. I was in a giant room, empty except for crates stacked in one corner. The air in the room felt damp and everything smelled like dirty seawater, which led me to realize I was down by the docks. Phenomenal. My head was fuzzy from whatever they’d sedated me with and panic started to rise in my chest, but I forced myself to take deep breaths and try to focus. As I was starting to examine the zip ties on my wrists, a door opened behind me and I heard footsteps drawing nearer. My whole body tensed. 

“Well, well, well.” The footsteps stopped right behind me and I felt a hand grab my hair and yank my head backwards. I grunted as pain shot through my head and found myself staring up at a face I recognized. The man from the parking lot. I thought, filled with fresh dread.

“So you recognize me, eh, princess?” The man smiled, showing a mouth of dirty and broken teeth. He let go of my hair and walked around so he was standing in front of me, clasping his hands behind his back. “Not my smartest move letting you see me outside that diner, but it seems that it all worked out for the best, hmm?” He leaned down so that his face was right in mine and I couldn’t help it; I spat.

His face contorted with rage as my saliva hit his cheek and he reared back and slapped me across the face. I felt my lip split and tasted copper. 

“Bitch!” He roared, wiping his face with his sleeve. “You’ve got some spirit, eh? Should’ve known Castle would pick one like that.”

I glared up at him, keeping my mouth shut. Just don’t talk, don’t talk. I thought feverishly. 

“Not going to say anything, huh?” The man simpered. “That’s okay. Really, you’re just bait. We’re just going to bide our time together and I’m going to hurt you a little bit more and more until your boyfriend,” he spat out the word like a marble. “Shows up to save you. And then I’m going to kill him.”

I shivered involuntarily and the man smiled when he saw it. 

“I’ll be back, princess. Don’t go anywhere.” He laughed and strode out of the room. I closed my eyes and licked blood off my lips, trying not to cry. I had no doubt that Frank knew what had happened by this point and even though I desperately did not want to be in this situation, I didn’t want him to die trying to save me. 

I took a deep breath and looked down again at where I was shackled to the chair, trying to think of anything I’d ever read about how to break out of zip ties. I noticed that the arms of the chair tapered a bit at the ends and felt a glimmer of hope that if I could somehow shimmy the zip tie further down the chair, I might be able to slide it off. Looking around to make sure that no one else was in the room, I gritted my teeth and started to push my wrist against the plastic, biting back a scream as it cut into my flesh. I’d managed to work my wrist a few agonizing centimeters further down the chair when I heard the door open again behind me and quickly stopped moving. 

The man from before was back, but he was accompanied by another guy who was holding an electric drill. Despite my best efforts to remain calm, I started hyperventilating just at the sight of it and the guy grinned, whirring the motor a few times. 

“Already figured out what the plan is here, huh? You’re a smart one.” He said, crouching down in front of me and aiming the point of the drill right above my right kneecap. I felt tears start to slide down my cheeks and stared at him pleadingly, but he just put his finger on the trigger. The drill started spinning and just as it dug into my flesh, there was a pinging noise that flew around the room and the lights cut out. The guy stopped immediately and I cried out as the metal pulled away. He’d managed to get probably a half an inch into my skin and I felt the warm blood pouring down my leg and immediately wanted to faint.

“What the fuck was that?” The guy with the drill whispered in the darkness.

“Shut up.” The first man hissed, and I heard him cock back the hammer on a gun. I held my breath, waiting and hoping that this was good news for me. There were two more loud ping noises and I watched in disbelief as the shadows of both men fell to the ground after being hit in the head by some kind of metal object. Another shadow raced towards me and I braced myself against the chair, but let out the breath I’d been holding when I recognized the pointed shapes on the shadow’s head.

“Matt?” I gasped. 

“Yes.” He replied tersely, pulling a knife out and starting to work on the zip tie on my right wrist. “Don’t have much time. Frank’s about to start blowing shit up around here and it’s going to get messy. I need to get you out of here.” The zip tie holding my wrist snapped and Matt put a hand on my shoulder, holding out the knife. “Can you do the rest yourself?” 

“Yes.” I grabbed it and started sawing at the one holding my left wrist as Matt straightened up and cocked his head, clearly listening to the rest of the building. I freed my wrist and bent over my left knee, gasping at the pain that kickstarted in my right leg as I flexed my muscles. I tried to avoid nicking my ankles as I hacked through the plastic and was mostly successful. 

“I need something to stop --”

“Here.” Matt pressed a length of cloth into my hands, already anticipating my request. I tied it as securely as I could around the hole in my leg and stood up, keeping my weight on my left leg. I reached up and gingerly felt the wound on my head. It wasn’t deep and the bleeding was starting to slow.

“Okay, time to move.” Matt took my arm and as we took a step, I heard machine gun fire explode somewhere nearby and Frank roar. I instinctively turned towards the sound of his voice, but Matt tugged me away. “We have to go, there’s going to be a lot more of them soon.” 

“Matt, I can’t leave him.” I sobbed. “It’s my fault he’s here.”

“No, it’s not.” Matt said exasperatedly. “Come on. You’re getting out of here even if I have to carry you.” More gunshots were fired and I could tell they were getting closer. I heard running steps and yells, men frantically trying to avoid the wrath of The Punisher. I cast one desperate look towards the still-closed door and allowed Matt to start leading me towards a window, which I could see was halfway open. 

“It leads to an alley.” Matt said, boosting me up so I could get my good leg over the sill. “Follow the alley and you’ll find a car. Get in the car and drive. Go to this address.” He pressed a piece of paper in my hand and I clutched it, hauling my injured leg to join the first so I was sitting on the sill. 

“Will you be okay?” I was crying at this point, listening to Frank fighting outside and imagining Matt joining the fray. 

“Yes.” Matt said confidently, gripping my wrist. “Now go.”

I nodded and pushed myself out the window into a five foot drop, trying to land mostly on my left foot. I half-succeeded and bit back a scream as I started hobbling down the alley, feeling glass and rocks scrape against the soles of my feet. I hugged the wall, staying in the shadows as I heard people running and talking on the other side of the building. More machine gun fire sounded and I almost turned around to see if I could spot Frank, but forced myself to keep moving. I saw the gleam of a car parked at the end of the alley and made my way to the driver’s side as fast as I could, jamming the keys I found on the front seat into the ignition and slamming the car into gear. I pressed down hard on the gas pedal, ignoring the hot spike in my leg and drove.


	15. Blood, Bullets, Tears, and all

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woooop last chapter! Thanks everyone for reading my first fic, I hope ya liked it. Expect more out of me once I watch S2 BY THE WAY THE TRAILER LITERALLY KICKED MY ASS WOW I CAN'T WAIT. Much love y'all!

I kept my foot on the gas, trying to get my bearings as I zoomed through a maze of buildings and shipping containers. I heard a loud “boom” from behind me and could see flames in the rearview mirror. Ignoring the tears that started to slide down my face again, I kept one hand on the wheel and used the other to plug in the address that Matt had given me into the car’s GPS system. I silently thanked whoever had left the car for making sure there was one because my phone was God knows where and I had no clue where I was.

Twenty minutes later, I pulled up in front of a nondescript house in Queens and screeched to a halt, putting the car in park. I caught sight of myself in the side mirror as I opened the door and gasped. My face was covered in blood and I had a black eye, which I touched gingerly. Turning away from my ghastly reflection, I stepped out of the car, crying out when the shards of glass in my feet met the pavement. I stumbled up to the front door of the house and knocked, hearing the unmistakable sound of Lola’s bark from within. I started crying, this time out of relief and sagged against the doorframe as I waited for someone to open the door. 

“Holy shit.” The door flew open and none other than Karen Page was framed in the doorway, dressed in a hoodie with her hair wild. 

“Hey.” I said weakly. She took my arms and pulled me inside, casting a glance outside before closing and dead-bolting the door. 

“Any chance you were followed?” She asked, letting me lean on her as we walked down a hallway.

“No.” I licked my lips, tasting blood. “Can I get some water? And where’s Lola?”

“Right here.” A deep voice said as we rounded the corner of the hallway into the kitchen. I looked up and saw a man who I knew to be Curtis from photos on Frank’s phone holding Lola’s collar so that she wouldn’t jump on me. 

“No, let her go.” I dropped onto the floor and Curtis let Lola come to me. She nuzzled my hands and face, panting heavily. “Hi girl, hi, I’m okay.” I whispered against her fur.

“Let’s get you cleaned up.” Curtis helped me into a chair and Karen returned with a First Aid kit and bowl of warm water. She started cleaning my head wound and wiping the blood off my face as Curtis bent over my leg.

“Electric drill.” I sighed, letting my head lean against Karen’s hand. Curtis winced and reached for a bottle of rubbing alcohol.

“This is gonna hurt.” He warned.

“I know.” I said through gritted teeth, already anticipating the sting. I tried to distract myself by telling them about what had happened down at the docks. 

“Frank called me the minute he got back to your house and figured out what happened.” Curtis frowned. “He had me and Karen go pick up your dog then drive out there and leave my car for you.”

“Thank you for getting Lola.” I said earnestly and Curtis nodded.

“Was Matt out there too?” Karen’s hands stilled momentarily on my head.

“Yeah.” I mumbled, the painkillers that she had put into my hand a few moments ago starting to make my tongue heavy. I looked up at her and she pressed her lips together in a thin line and I could see the worry in her eyes.

With my leg cleaned and dressed, head stitched, and feet soaked, I collapsed onto Curtis’s couch in a pair of Karen’s sweatpants and one of Curtis’s sweatshirts. Karen draped a blanket over me, then hesitated by my head.

“What?” I asked, barely able to keep my eyes open. Lola jumped up on the couch and curled herself around my feet.

“Frank loves you.” Karen said quietly. “I’ve never heard him sound so… anguished before. I just thought you should know that.”

I nodded and slurred, “love ‘im too,” before closing my eyes and succumbing to sleep.

“Where is she?” I woke to the sound of Frank’s voice and a door slamming open. 

“Hey, hey, calm down.” With difficulty, I lifted one of my eyelids and saw David backing into the room, one hand against Frank’s chest. Frank was heaving, eyes wild, and I saw that the white skull on his chest was smeared with blood. He made a choking sound when he saw me and closed the distance between us with two strides.

“Hey, sweetheart.” He lifted one hand to my cheek, but after seeing that it was covered in dust and ash, didn’t touch me. 

“Hi.” I whispered sleepily, reaching for him. 

“Don’t want to get you all dirty.” He resisted.

“Don’t care.” I wrapped one of my hands behind his neck and pulled his head to mine. He closed his eyes and rested his forehead on my temple, breathing hard. 

“Are you okay?” I asked and he chuckled darkly, dropping a kiss on my cheekbone. 

“Never better. What did they do to you?” There was a muscle jumping in his jaw and I could feel his trigger finger tapping against my hip.

“Not much, I swear.” I shook my head. “Looks worse than it is.”

“They drilled into her leg, Frank.” Karen spoke shakily from the corner and I shot her a look. Matt was in a chair, head resting in his hands and she had a hand on his shoulder. When he sensed I was looking at him, he shot me a wan smile.

“Just a little bit!” I insisted, but Frank was already peeling back the blanket and gently pushing Karen’s sweats up my leg. His eyes went black when he saw the bandage, which was stained red. 

“Frank, come back to me.” I called gently, putting a hand on his face and turning him to me. 

“I wish I could kill ‘em twice.” He growled.

“Did you get them all?” I couldn’t help asking.

“Every fuckin’ one. Put ‘em down like the roaches they were.” 

“Not to mention you blew the whole place up, which I thought was a bit overkill.” David chimed in.

“Less evidence!” I chirped and then yawned. Frank half-smiled and Matt chuckled from the corner.

“Smart lady.” He took my hand in his and rubbed circles with his thumb in my palm. 

“Can we go home?” I asked quietly. 

“Not tonight.” My face fell. “Your place is kinda busted up, sweetheart. But I got us a room somewhere I think you’ll like.” Frank winked and I brightened.

“Let’s go.”

 

\----

 

“Frank, this is amazing.” I looked around the room, my mouth gaping open.

“You like it, huh?” Frank sounded pleased and I turned to face him.

“Like it?” I gestured to the suite behind me. “I love it!”

“Figured we deserved something nice for the night, had David set it up. And Karen was all too happy to take Lola for the night at her place. She’s trying to convince Red to get a dog.” Frank put our bags down in the corner and pulled me into his arms. 

“A night in the Presidential Suite at the Ritz definitely counts as ‘something nice.’” I laughed and kissed him. 

“How are you feeling?” Frank guided me to the massive bed in the center of the room and I sat heavily. 

“Not great, not awful.” I said honestly, dragging myself up the bed so that I was laying back on the impossibly fluffy pillows. Frank chuckled.

“Those painkillers are pretty strong.” He joined me on the bed, careful not to jostle me when he sat. 

“Good stuff.” I agreed, feeling the hazy effects of the second dose start to drift into my head.

“I think we both need a good night’s sleep.” Frank whispered. “But first, I, uh, I need to tell you something.” He turned to face me, one leg off the side of the bed and the other folded and cleared his throat.

“What’s up?” I asked softly, reaching out to smooth the worry lines in his forehead.

“Tonight when I got back to your place and saw that you were gone I…” Frank swallowed. “I couldn’t help but think, ‘not again.’ I was so scared,” He took a deep breath before continuing and I felt a lump rise in my throat. “So scared that I’d lost you, just like I lost Maria and the kids. I couldn’t survive that.” He raised his head and looked at me, his eyes wet. Tears pricked at the back of my eyelids and I took his hand. 

“All I wanted was to get back to you, no matter what stood in my way.” Frank choked out. 

“I knew you’d come.” I whispered. “You said you’d always protect me. I knew you’d come. I wasn’t afraid.” 

Frank nodded and I saw some of the pain disappear from his eyes. 

“What I’m trying to say Ella is that I love you.” He reached up and fitted his hand to the base of my skull, thumb running along my cheekbone. “And I didn’t think, I honestly didn’t know if I’d ever be able to love someone again the way that I loved my wife. But I do. You’ve seen me, you’ve seen all of me and for some reason, you want me. And I don’t want to question that anymore. So if you’ll still have me, I’m all yours.”

I was full-on crying at this point and he wiped away my tears.

“I love you too, Frank. So much it hurts. And all I want is you. Pete Castiglione, Frank Castle, The Punisher, whoever you are, I know you and I love you.” 

Frank’s face broke into the biggest smile I’d ever seen and he leaned in, capturing my lips with his. I kissed him back hard, tasting salt and something that was uniquely Frank and knew that I’d found my happy ending, blood, bullets, tears, and all.

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave feedback for me!


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